


A Safe Place

by LittleLadyBaker



Category: 3Below, Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons), Trollhunters - Daniel Kraus & Guillermo del Toro, Wizards - Fandom
Genre: All humans au, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Evil Ex, F/M, Fake Marriage, Morgana is mentioned but not a whole lot, NICU Baby, NaNoWriMo, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Stricklake is a thing too just not the most important, premature baby, tragic backstories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27358594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLadyBaker/pseuds/LittleLadyBaker
Summary: Otto was just supposed to help his sister move then get back to his son. Loraine was just trying to get to her sister before her baby was born. But when her baby comes early, they're both thrown into a whole different world. And Otto makes it his personal mission to find her and her baby a safe place.
Relationships: Lenora Janeth & Eli Pepperjack, Lenora Janeth & Toby Domzalski, Lenora Janeth/Otto Scaarbach, Otto Scaarbach & Eli Pepperjack, Otto Scaarbach & Toby Domzalski, Otto Scaarbach & Walter Strickler | Stricklander, Otto Scaarbach & Zelda Nomura, past Lenora Janeth/OC
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My NaNoWriMo for this year. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is welcome. Just don't be to harsh, ok?

Chapter 1  
There was a skip in his step as Otto made his way to the bus stop. His sister was almost done packing, and then he would be able to get back to Arcadia and Toby. His heart leapt at the mere thought of his three-month-old son.  
“Guten Morgen, Lorin,” He said, sitting next to the dark haired woman.  
“Guten Morgen, Otto,” Lorin rubbed her rounded belly, “You’re awfully chipper this morning.”  
“Nono is almost done. I’ll be going home soon,” He nodded down at her suitcase, “Und, by the looks of it, so are you.”  
“I’m getting on the plane in a few hours,” She followed his eyes.  
“VVell, try to get some sleep vonce you’re in the air. You look extra tired this morning.”  
She chuckled, “He kept me up most of the night. At this point, I just want to get home. Then, he can come any time he wants.”  
“Somevone should tell him to let you sleep now so that you can stay up vviz him later. I know Toby keeps me up most of ze night. Have you decided on a name yet?”  
“It’s still a toss up between naming him after my mother or naming him after my father,” Lorin leaned back, “Hopefully my sister will be able to help me decide when I get back. I still have three weeks.”  
Otto nodded and checked his watch. They were both very early for the bus and it was rather cold. He glanced around and located a coffee shop.  
“I’m going to run across ze street for some breakfast. VVould you care to join me?”  
Lorin smiled and moved to stand, “Sure. Besides, I should get out of the cold for a bi-Oh!”  
Her grip on the bench tightened and she grimaced with pain.  
“Lorin! Are you alright?” Otto dropped to one knee beside her.  
“Fine,” She took a deep breath, “Braxan Hicks. They’re what kept me up all night.”  
Otto frowned, “Maybe you should see a doctor before you get on ze plane. I’d hate for somezing to happen vvhile you are in ze air.”  
Lorin smiled down at him, “I’m fine, Otto. Really. Let’s just get something warm to eat and drink.”  
Otto bit his lip and pulled out his wallet, “Do you know vvhat time you started feeling ze pain?”  
“Um, 10:30. Maybe 11:00. Why?”  
He handed her his paramedics licence, “Lorin, it’s just my opinion but I really zink you should see a doctor. I-I zink you may have been in labor for a good...seven or eight hours.”  
Lorin shook her head, eyes brimming with tears, “I-I can’t be. I’m only 33 weeks. I-I was joking when I said he could-Gah! O-Oh God. M-My water just broke…”  
Otto nodded and squeezed her hand gently, “I see zat. Take deep breaths. I’m going to get you a cab und vve are going to get you to ze hospital. It’s going to be alright. Ok. Deep breaths.”  
He squeezed her hand once more and did just that. It took a full three minutes for him to hail a cab but he quickly explained the situation and paid in advance. Then he returned to Lorin’s side and helped her to her feet.  
“But w-what about your sister?” Lorin’s voice shook as she spoke.  
“Nomura can handle herself for now,” Otto gingerly put one hand on the small of her back and picked up her suitcase, “I’ll call her in the cab.”  
He helped her into the cab and sat down beside her before pulling out his cellphone.  
“Nomura, somezing’s come up. I’m going to be a little late...Maybe...I’ll explain later...Halte den Mund! Ja...VVhatever, I’ll see you tonight-I mean-Auf Wiedersehen!” He slammed his phone closed and shoved it in his pocket, turning back to Lorin, “Zere. All done.”  
Lorin chuckled for a moment before looking away. Otto rubbed her shoulder and let her squeeze his hand as much as she wanted.  
“Is he going to be ok?” Her voice was little more than a whisper.  
Otto felt his heart clench, making a decision to be honest, “I can’t answer zat. But ze doctors vvill be able to. Und I promise I vvill do everyzing in my power to help you boz.”  
Lorin’s lips quivered and her shoulders shook. Otto pulled a handkerchief from his breast pocket and slipped it into her empty hand. She hiccuped and used it to cover her mouth and nose as she cried.  
Otto undid his seatbelt as soon as the cabbie pulled into the hospital parking lot. He leapt out as soon as the car stopped and grabbed a wheelchair for his friend. He helped Lorin into the chair. The nurse behind the reception desk looked up as they entered.  
“Maternity?” She said, smiling despite how exhausted she clearly was.  
“Yes,” Otto squeezed Lorin’s shoulder gently.  
The nurse nodded, “You’ll want to go down the hall and to the left. The nurse there will give you the paperwork to fill out. And it’s been a slow night so I don’t think they’ll make you wait long.”  
Otto nodded and turned, “Danke.”  
They followed the directions down to the next reception desk. Otto took the clipboard and they sat to wait.  
“I’ll fill zis out und zen I’ll be right back. OK?” Otto turned to her, “Do you vvant to call your sister? Let her know vvhat’s going on?”  
Lorin shook her head, “No. Don’t call Maranda. But, the name you need to put down, it’s Loraine Pepperjack.”  
Otto nodded and looked up as a nurse came to take her back, “Alright. I’ll be back zere soon.”  
She nodded and let go of his hand. As soon as they were gone, Otto leaned back in his chair. He balanced the clipboard on his knee and pulled out his phone once more.  
“VValt? I know, I know, long distance calls bad. But, I zink I found a situation here…”

LLB

Loraine looked up as the door opened, Otto walked in and sat in the chair beside her bed.  
“VVhat did I miss?”  
“The doctor says there’s not much they can do right now, “ Lorraine swiped her thumbs over her belly, “They can’t stop the labor because my water already broke but the contractions are still two minutes apart right now.”  
Otto nodded, “Lor-Loraine?”  
She licked her lips, “That's why I had to get home.”  
“You told me not to call your sister. I take it she doesn’t know?”  
Lorraine shook her head, lips quivering, “I-I couldn’t risk him finding out.”  
Otto squeezed her hand gently and looked her in the eye, “I’m not going anyvvhere. I vvon’t let him hurt you.”  
“We met two days ago,” Lorraine gave him a shaky smile, “You barely know me.”  
“I know you’re scared. I know you love your son,” Otto carefully sat on the edge of her bed, “Und I know zat you shouldn’t be alone.”  
Lorraine sniffed and whimpered through another contraction before laying her head against his shoulder, “Thank you. And you can tell your sister it’s my fault you’re late.”  
“Nein. I chose to stay.”  
Her grip on his hand tightened unexpectedly. Otto let out an ungentlemanly squeak of surprise and covered his mouth with his other hand. Lorraine chuckled but didn’t loosen her grip.  
“Es tut mir leid,” He chuckled, “You just took me a bit by surprise.”  
Lorraine nodded and groaned, “Ugh...I think he’s ready.”  
Otto nodded, “Alright. I’m going to step right outside for just a moment and I’ll be right back.”  
He gently pried her fingers off his hand and leaned out the door. He grabbed the attention of a passing nurse.  
“Ms. Pepperjack’s contractions are nearly constant,” He explained, “Could you let ze doctor know?”  
She nodded and continued on her way. Otto turned back to the room and returned to Lorraine’s side.  
“She’s getting ze doctor. Zey should be here soon.”  
Lorraine nodded and groaned again. Otto slipped his hand back into her’s. It was only about a minute before the doctor walked in.  
“Alright, Ms. Pepperjack. Let’s see how you two are doing.”  
Lorrain whimpered and squeezed his hand tighter.  
“You’re just about ready. Next time you feel the pain, get ready to push.”  
Lorraine nodded and groaned. Then she screamed.  
“Zat’s it,” Otto encouraged her gently, “Remember to keep breathing.”  
Lorraine screamed again and turned to her friend, “I-Is my baby going to die?”  
Otto licked his lips and shook his head, “No. He’s going to be alright. But you have to keep going for zat to happen.”  
He wiped her tears and she screamed again. Her grip on his hand tightened even more. Otto kissed the back of her hand.  
“There he is,” the doctor handed the baby to a nurse and turned back, “Alright, One more push and you’re all done.”  
Lorrain wasn’t paying any attention. She was watching the nurse take her son.  
“B-But why-”  
“She’s going to get him cleaned up und set up in a NICU unit,” Otto assured her, “You can see him as soon as zey’re done. But, right now, vve need to make sure you are alright, OK?”  
Lorraine nodded and did as the doctor told her. As soon as they were done, a nurse helped Lorraine get cleaned up. When she got back to the room, Otto was reentering with two drinks and a small thing of mac and cheese. He put a hand on her shoulder.  
“Zey are still taking care of your baby,” He told her, “I zought, vvhile vve vvait, you could use somezing to eat, drink, und a bit of rest.”  
Lorraine took the mac and cheese but didn’t eat.  
Otto smiled softly, “He’s going to be fine.”  
“You said you didn’t know if he would be,” Lorraine looked at him scrupulously.  
“No. I said I couldn’t answer zat question. Now I can. I asked ze doctor und she says he’s doing good,” Otto took a sip from his steaming styrofoam cup.  
Lorraine nodded and took a bite. Unbidden, large tears began to roll down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook and soon she was sobbing anew. Otto put his cup to the side and hugged her gently. He didn’t say a word. Just rubbed her back and let her cry until she was spent.  
He lay her against the pillows and pulled up the blanket. Then he sat back in his chair and sipped his hot cider.

LLB

Lorraine was woken by a gentle squeezing of her shoulder.  
“Lorraine?” Otto smiled at her, “Are you ready to meet your son?”  
She sat up and threw off the blanket. Otto chuckled and took her by the shoulders.  
“Sit,” He nodded to the wheelchair, “You may feel fine now, but trust me. You’ll be tired before you know it.”  
Lorraine pursed her lips but complied. Otto wheeled her down the hall and through a set of double doors. They washed their hands and approached the only unattend unit in the room. Inside her tiny son slept. Lorraine stood and put one hand against the glass.  
“You can touch him,” A nurse wandered over, “That’s what the ports on the sides are for.”  
Lorraine looked from her baby, to the nurse and back again. Then, she slipped her hands in and stroked her son’s tiny head.  
“He’s so tiny,” She whispered, “So tiny.”  
“He’s three pounds even,” The nurse looked at the clipboard on the unit, “ And his breathing is good.”  
“He still needs a name,” Otto looked up at her.  
“I know,” Lorraine turned to him, “But, now I’m even more indecisive.”  
Otto chuckled and smiled down at the baby, “I need to go soon,” He reached into his pocket and handed Lorraine a card, “If you need anyzing at all, no matter how strange, don’t hesitate to call.”  
“Thank you, Otto. For everything. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”  
Otto shook his head, “Bitte schon. Und remember, don’t hesitate to call.”  
With that, he put one hand on the NICU unit and walked out the door. Lorraine watched him go then turned back to her son. She put one hand in her pocket. Otto’s handkerchief was still in there. Lorraine looked down at it. His initials were embroidered in the corner.  
“‘O.E.S.’?” She smiled and looked down at her son, “Elijah.”


	2. Chapter 2

Otto sighed and sat on the floor, “Und zat’s ze last of it. You vvill now spend ze next day und a half living out of a cardboard box.”  
Nomura slid down the wall to sit next to him, “That’s an awful way of saying I have to wait for the moving van to get here.”  
Otto chuckled and threw one arm around his sister’s shoulders, “Ja. Oof. VVhat time is it?”  
Nomura looked down at her watch, “Oh god! It’s 12:13!”  
“Ha! VVhat vvould Mama say!?”  
“Uh...We’re grown ass adults who can do what we want?”  
Otto laughed again and tickled her around the neck.  
“Ah! Ack! No! No!” She wiggled away and attacked his ribs.  
“Bah!” Otto tried to roll away but to no avail, “Nein! Nein!”  
*Prrring! Prrring!*  
“Ack! Aufhören! Aufhören! Handy!” Otto shoved her away and pulled out his cell phone, “Hallo!”  
“O-Otto?”  
“Lorraine?” He sat up, Nomura splayed over his lap.  
“Who’s Lorraine?” She looked up at him over her shoulder.  
Otto waved a hand at his little sister, “VVhat can I do for you?”  
“Can...Can you help me make Eli disappear?”  
Otto blinked, “I zink I’ll need a little more information…”  
“I don’t know how much I can say over the phone,” Lorraine’s voice slipped to a whisper.  
Otto nodded, though he knew she couldn’t see him, “I’ll come in as soon as visiting hours begin.”  
“Thank you…”  
“Try und get some sleep,” Otto insisted, “I’ll see you in a few hours.”  
“Alright. Thank you.”  
Otto sighed and closed his phone.  
“Is it story time, Grossbrüder?” Nomura bat her eyelashes at him.  
“Scheisse Du, Nomura,” Otto shoved her off, “I told you what happened yesterday.”  
“So she’s the woman with the preme that you gave our card to? Smart move, considering she actually called.”  
“Let’s just sleep,” Otto lay back on the floor and threw one arm over his eyes, “I have to be up soon.”

LLB

Lorain was waiting by her son’s NICU unit when Otto arrived. He went to her side and smiled down at the sleeping baby.  
“How has he been?” He asked.  
“They put him on the CPap last night,” She didn’t look at him, “But I’ve been changing his diapers.”  
Otto nodded, “Und...How have you been?”  
“Fine...Tired mostly. Worried.”  
“Have you been sleeping?”  
“Some.”  
Otto furrowed his eyebrows, “VVell, would you like to go somewhere more private to talk about vvhy you called?”  
Lorain nodde and stroked Eli’s forehead gently. Then they went back to her room. Her roommate was still in the NICU room so they were able to have a bit more privacy.  
“Before I say anything more,” Lorain sat on the edge of her bed, “What is ‘Janis Initiative’?”  
Otto smiled and pulled up the chair, “It’s a long story. My mozer inherited a razer...um...substantial fortune. She used it to travel and set up orphanages and vvomen’s shelters around ze vvorld. Along ze vvay, she adopted my brozer, sister, und I. When she passed, vve all inherited the fortune und decided to carry on her vvork. Recently, vve decided to set up a base in the town vvhere my brozer lives. I moved zere last year and I have been helping my sister get ready to join us.”  
Lorain nodded slowly, “So...can you help me hide Eli?”  
“Ah! You vvant to hide him. Of course vve can do zat. Do you vvant to hide vviz him?”  
“You can do that?”  
“Of course. It would be a bit like being in ze vvitness protection program. You vvould have to change your name und vve vvould put you in one of our halfway houses until you can find a job und a place of your own. VVonce Eli is discharged from ze hospital, of course. I know a place in California zat sounds like a perfect hiding place for ze two of you.”  
“California might not be safe,” She admitted, “I’m from California originally.”  
Otto scratched his chin, “Hmm...Ze person you are hiding from, vvhat does he know about California? Ze town I am zinking of is very small and very isolated. Very few people even know it exists. It is vvhere vve are setting up Janis Initiative HQ for zat exact reason. My sister-in-law vvorks at Arcadia Oaks hospital so vve could even have a vvitness to say Eli vvas born zere.”  
“A-Arcadia Oaks? That’s where I was heading! Maranda and I moved there when we were children…”  
Otto frowned, “Does he know zat?”  
“N-No. Arcadia Oaks isn’t something you tell just anyone…”  
“Alright,” Otto visibly relaxed, “In zat case, Nono und I vvill start the process und, by ze time Eli is ready to leave, it vvill be only ze push of a button und he vvill never find you. Not if I can help it.”  
Loraine leapt from her seat and hugged Otto tightly.

LLB

When Otto arrived late the next day Loraine was pacing a hole in the floor around Eli’s unit.  
“Loraine? VVhat happened? Is Eli alright?”  
“What?! Oh, yes. Yes, Eli’s OK. As ok as he can be right now,” She crossed her arms and looked away, “It’s just...It’s nothing for you to worry about. It’s not about him so I don’t think it’s really your division.”  
He looked at her over the rim of his glasses, “Loraine. I am here to help you. If not as Janis Initiative zen as your friend. But I can’t do zat if you vvon’t tell me vvhat’s wrong.”  
She hesitated for a moment and turned back to her son, “Money problems. I’ve been discharged but I can’t afford another motel room. I used the last of my money to buy the plane ticket home. By the time we got everything worked out with Eli...I couldn’t get a refund.”  
“Is zat all?” Otto sighed and put a hand lightly on her shoulder, “Loraine, vve can get you a room if you need vvone. Ze hospital has programs to help as vvell.”  
“You’ve done so much already. I didn’t want to ask for anything more.”  
“Zat is vvhat vve do. It is vvhy I am here.”  
They stood in silence, looking down at the sleeping baby. Neither of them dared to speak.  
“How about zis: You can stay vviz me. Just vvhile vve are here. My hotel room is two separate rooms und ze sofa is a hide-a-bed. Und it’s only fifteen minutes from ze hospital!”  
“But-it-I can’t-Are you sure?” She was visibly shaking.  
Otto took his hand off her shoulder and gestured to the chair, “Let’s sit down and talk about zis.”  
Once she had sat down he knelt in front of her so that he would have to look up.  
“Loraine? VVe can get you a room if you vvant. I just zought zat having a familiar face might help some. It vvas not my intention to-”  
She put the tips of her fingers against his lips, “No. It’s not that. I just...I’m not used to asking for, or-or accepting help.”  
Otto nodded slowly, “I understand. I am ze same vvay. I am so used to helping ozers, I never really know vvhen to ask for help myself. Especially vvhere Toby is concerned.”  
Lorraine tightened her fists around her skirt. Otto gently slipped his fingers into her fists, gently loosening their hold. Then he stood and sat on the arm of the chair. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders. Loraine was still for a moment before she slowly leaned over and lay her head on Otto’s shoulder.  
“VVe can talk more vvhen vve get zere,” he whispered, resting his head on top of her’s, “For now, let’s just talk about Eli. Oh! Nono made him zis.”  
Loraine sat up so that Otto could reach into his satchel. He pulled out a small white box tied with a green ribbon and handed it to her. She opened it carefully and held up the soft green sleeper. It was smaller than any she had seen even in the preme section but even had little flaps to cover his tiny hands.  
“It’s adorable,” she cooed, “You said she made this?”  
“She even hand stitched it because she already sent her sewing machine to California,” Otto confirmed, “She stayed up all night to finish it.”  
Lorraine smiled and lifted the sleeper to her lips, “I’ll have to thank her when I see her. Did she already head to California?”  
“Today at noon,” Otto said before looking around, “VVhat did I miss vvhile I vvas gone?”  
“Not much. They were able to take him off formula and just breast milk this morning. And...and he’s gained a whole pound.”  
“Zat’s good!” Otto looked into the unit, “He’ll be strong and healzy in no time at zis rate.”  
Lorraine stood beside him with a small smile, “That’s what the nurse said, too.”   
Her stomach growled loudly. Otto turned.  
“Have you eaten today?”  
“Yes…”  
Otto lifted an eyebrow.  
“I did! I just...It was a lite breakfast.”  
Otto looked down at his watch, “It’s almost four now. I’m going to get you a snack.”  
“But-” He left before she could protest.  
Loraine sighed. Eli whimpered and started to fuss.  
“Oh! No, baby,” Lorraine reached in and struggled to calm her son.  
She checked his diaper and his feeding tube then made sure the CPap was still connected. Eli’s cries grew louder,  
“I’m sorry, Eli. I’m trying,” Lorraine bit her lip and took a deep breath, “Mama’s trying.”  
“Try this,” Another woman stepped up and guided her hands.  
She gently curled Eli up, placing her hands over his legs and chest. He slowly calmed down and curled one hand around her little finger.  
“Thank you,” Lorraine hated how her voice shook.  
“It’s ok. I remember how it was the first time.”  
“The first time?”  
“Natasha is our second child in the NICU. I’m Yavaine, by the way.”  
“Loraine. And this is Elijah. Eli for short,” Lorraine nodded towards the door, “And Otto just left.”  
“I saw that,” Stella chuckled, “He really dotes on you two, doesn’t he? Always fussing?”  
It was Loraine’s turn to laugh, “Yes. I don’t understand why, though.”  
“My husband, Tristan, is the same way, “Yavaine looked over, “But, I think he’s just trying to make up for the fact that he couldn’t make it in time this time.”  
Loraine followed her gaze to a man at an open top unit. It was another minute before what Yavaine said sunk in.  
“Wait! No! Otto’s not my husband!”  
“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. I just didn’t think he was your brother.”  
Lorraine shook her head, “He’s not my brother either. He’s...a family friend.”  
Yavaine nodded, “Alright. I guess that makes sense. Well, in any case, he’s certainly a good friend.”  
“Yeah...Yeah he is…”  
“He is vvhat?” Otto walked up and placed one hand on Eli’s unit, “Ze most tiny und precious zing in ze vvorld?”  
Yavaine chuckled, “I’ll leave you two to it, then.”  
They watched her return to her daughter before turning back to each other.  
“I see you have your hands full,” Otto set the bag of chips and water bottle in the chair, “I’ll leave zese here for you.”  
“Thank you, Otto.”  
“Bitte.”  
He stepped up to the spot Yavaine had abandoned and stroked Eli’s forehead gently. The baby cooed and nuzzled into the warmth. Loraine’s stomach growled again. Otto chuckled and shook his head. Without a word he slipped his hand under hers and held Eli.  
“Eat. I vvill hold him until you finish.”  
Loraine hesitated. Eli was still holding her finger. She didn’t want to disturb him.  
“It’s alright,” Otto assured her, “He’s not going anywhere. You vvon’t even lose sight of him.”  
Loraine nodded stiffly and stepped back to grab her snack. Eli whimpered for only a second before settling his arm over Otto’s hand. They stood in mutual silence for a moment longer.  
“I just want to hold him so bad.”  
“I know you do. Und you vvill. At ze rate he’s going, it vvill probably be soon.”  
Loraine nodded mutley. She squeezed her eyes shut as she had done many times before. As if she would open them and everything would be ok.  
“Schlaf, kindlein, Schlaf,  
Der Vater hüt die Schaf,  
Die Mutter schüttelts Bäumelein,  
Da fällt herab ein Träumelein.  
Schlat, kindlein, Schlaf.”  
Lenora felt her tension melt away as she heard the song. It was quiet, little more than a whisper. And she couldn’t help but think she wasn’t meant to hear it.   
Otto breathed out the lullaby to the sleeping infant in his hands. He felt warmth spread through his body. A feeling he hadn’t felt since he left Toby with his brother.  
“You’re a good singer,” Loraine’s whisper snapped hi out of his reverie.  
“Oh. Um.” He felt his cheeks grow warm, “D-Danke.”  
Loraine washed her hands again before slipping them back into the unit.

LLB

The following hours blurred past. They took turns calming Eli and Otto even convinced Loraine to participate in doctor’s rounds so she could learn more about how to take care of her son. Before they knew it, visiting hours were ending and it was time to leave.  
Loraine hesitated once more. Eyes trained on her sleeping son. Otto put a gentle hand on her shoulder.  
“Remember, he’s getting the best treatment he can. But you need to take care of yourself, too. VVe’ll get you some food, a hot shower, und a good night’s sleep. Zen you can come back first zing in ze morning.”  
Loraine nodded and stroked Eli’s forehead gently.  
“Try to keep pumping, too,” Yavaine said, holding the hand of her oldest, William.  
Loraine and Otto turned and walked out with her.  
“I know it sounds a bit strange,” She chuckled, “But it really helps. Even if he can’t take a bottle yet. I promise.”  
Loraine sighed, “Right. Thank you, Yavaine. Otto, would we be able to stop at Target or something?”  
“Of course. VVe need to pick up dinner vvhile vve’re out, too,” Otto assured her, “Gute Nacht, Eli. Wir leib dich.”  
Loraine forced a smile, “Good night, Baby. I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”  
Then, taking another deep breath, she turned and followed Otto out. They went down to the lobby to wait for their cab.  
“Otto?”  
“Ja?”  
“Can I ask you a question? A-About your language?”  
Otto chuckled, “Of course! VVhat do you vvant to know?”  
“What did you say to Eli? I know the first part was ‘good night’ but what is ‘veer leiber dick’?”  
Otto huffed in amusement, “Vir leib dich. It means vve love you. It is similar to vvhat I tell Toby every night. ‘Papa leib dich’. Daddy loves you.”  
Loraine nodded slowly, “Alright. Thanks again. For the explanation and-and for helping me with Eli.”  
“Bite schon. It is vvhat friends are for.”

LLB

When they finally reached the hotel it was nearly midnight. Otto had the grocery bags and Loraine had her suitcase and the thighs they had grabbed for Eli.  
“I insist, Loraine.”  
“But it’s your hotel room. You should sleep in the bedroom. I’ll be fine on the hide-a-bed.”  
“Nein! You have been sleeping in a hospital bed ze past zree nights und you didn’t sleep vvell ze night before zat. You sleep in ze bed. I am going to be avvake anyvvay.”  
“Fine! Then we’ll alternate,” Loraine set down her bags and rolled her wrists, “Please.”  
“I’ll consider it,” Otto teased, sliding the key and unlocking the door, “Tonight, vve-”  
“Surpriiii…” Nomura jumped up from behind the sofa, trailing off at the sight of the other woman.  
Otto and Loraine froze in the doorway.  
“Nono...VVhat are you doing here?”


	3. Chapter 3

“My flight got pushed back until tomorrow,” Nomura didn’t move, arms still raised above her head, “I figured you wouldn’t mind me crashing here for tonight. Your turn. Explain.”  
“I couldn’t find Loraine a room for tonight so I offered to let her stay here vviz me. We decided zat it vvould be easier to just keep it zis vvay until it’s time to got home,” Otto went over and put the food away.  
Nomura sat on the back of the sofa, “Alright. And how long are you staying?”  
“As long as needed.”  
Loraine watched the exchange from her spot by the door, suitcase held tightly in front of her. Nomura quirked an eyebrow at her older brother before turning.   
“So, you’re Loraine?”  
She nodded stiffly.  
“Relax a bit. I don’t bite, you know.”  
“VVhy don’t you go put your zings in ze bedroom? I’ll finish getting dinner ready.”  
“Are you absolutely sure?” Loraine picked up the rest of her bags.  
“Yes. Now go. Before Nomura eats all the fortune cookies.”  
“Hey!”  
Loraine chuckled and went into the room. Otto suitcases were settled neatly on one side of the room. She sighed and leaned back against the door. She slid to the floor and pulled her hands over her ears. She was shaking. Her heart was racing.  
“Wrong…” She whimpered, “It’s wrong…He-He shouldn’t be-”  
The creaked open slowly and Nomura stepped in. She quickly closed the door behind her and knelt in front of Loraine.  
“Hey. Look at me.”  
Loraine forced herself to look up and into the other woman’s green eyes.  
“Good. Now, deep breath. Hold it,” She held up one finger, “Blow out the candle.”  
Loraine blew on the finger until Nomura pulled it back.  
“Better?”  
Loraine nodded. Her heart was still pounding and her stomach was still churning but she could think more clearly.  
“H-How did you do that?”  
Nomura sat against the wall beside her, “My brothers and I all have training for how to deal with anxiety attacks and panic attacks. Mama insisted when we each turned sixteen. It’s come in handy a lot since we started Janis Initiative.”  
They were silent for a moment.   
“I don’t like that I can’t be with him. He’s there and I’m here and it just feels wrong.”  
“I know. I can’t say I know what you’re going through. But I do understand being separated from your family, somewhere strange, and scared shitless...It’s not easy at first. But it gets easier. Especially once you realize that you’re not alone.”  
Loraine gave her a shaky smile and took another deep breath.  
Nomura got to her feet, “Come on. Let’s get you unpacked so we can eat. Otto’s got everything ready and I don’t know about you, but I don’t like cold take out.”  
Loraine nodded and took the offered hand. They got her sparse clothes organized into one drawer of the hotel dresser and the supplies for Eli by ‘her side’ of the bed. Only then did they return to the main room. Otto grinned at them.  
“Zere you are! Do you vvant chopsticks or a fork?”  
“Um, fork.”  
Otto nodded and handed her a plate and fork. Then, he took his own plate and sat at the small table in the corner. Loraine and Nomura joined him. They ate in a strange silence. Not entirely uncomfortable, but not a calm or comfortable silence either. Nomura looked between the other two.  
“So, you hear from Walt today?”  
Otto didn’t look up, “Not yet. He’ll probably call vvhen it’s time to put Toby to bed.”  
Loraine lowered her fork and looked at her watch, “Eight o’clock in Arcadia is four in the morning here.”  
“Ja,” Otto smiled and nodded, “But Toby vvon’t sleep ozervvize. He’s only zree monts old. He doesn’t understand ‘time zones’. Or sleep zrough ze night yet for zat matter. It vvill keep me in practice for vvhen I get back.”  
Loraine felt an odd twisting in her stomach. Just moments ago she had broken down after being away from Eli for a couple hours. Otto had been away from Toby for weeks. Had he broken down at any point? Had he worried that his baby would be ok without him?  
A large, warm hand grabbed her own dragging her from her thoughts. Otto had stopped eating and had fixed her with a concerned look.  
“Are you ok? You zoned out a bit zere.”  
“Y-Yeah. I was just thinking.”  
Otto nodded, “VVhy don’t you go to bed? It’s late und vve have to be up early tomorrow.”  
She nodded mutley and got up. After dumping what was left of her food into the trash, she went to the bedroom and grabbed her pajamas out of her suitcase. She had every intention of taking a very hot shower. To try and wash her worries down the drain.  
At first, she didn’t care how hot the water was. But as time passed, she found herself turning it down. This was the first proper shower she had had in nearly a month. Why waste it?  
She used the good shampoo and conditioner they had bought and scrubbed herself down with the hotel soap and washcloth. If you had told her a year ago that she would miss shaving; she would have called you a liar. She relished it, even though she had to sit down to shave her legs.  
Only once she decided she was sufficiently clean did she turn off the water. The hotel towel was rough against her reddened skin as she dried off. She wrapped her hair before pulling the nightdress over her head. Like the rest of her clothes, it was a size or two to large, considering it was a maternity dress.  
Letting down her hair, Lorain turned to the mirror.  
“Ugh. I am looking rough,” She mumbled to herself.  
Shaking her head, she reached for the leave in conditioner. She combed out her hair with a wide toothed comb and carded in her conditioner, scrunching to encourage the curls. Having finished her routine, she took a deep breath and hung up her towel.  
Otto and Nomura were still awake and talking quietly. Loraine crept back to the bedroom as quietly as possible.  
“I promise, Otto. You haven’t missed anything. Except for a few hundred diapers.”  
Loraine stopped. She turned to try and see who they were talking to. The siblings were seated side by side on the sofa, Otto’s laptop open in front of them.  
“I just can’t wait to meet the little trolls!” Nomura practically squealed.  
“Well, Toby will probably be asleep but Jim should be awake.”  
Their brother. That had to be who they were talking to.  
“I have to be getting these two to bed,” The brother said, “Otherwise Barbara and I will never get to sleep tonight.”  
“Alright. Zanks again,” Otto sounded sad.  
Loraine turned and went back into the bedroom. Her heart was pounding again. She took a deep, shaking breath before going to bed. She wouldn't be able to take care of Eli if she was falling asleep.

LLB

Otto and Loraine arrived at the hospital before visiting hours officially started.  
“I guess I was a little eager to get back to Eli,” Loraine hung her head.  
She had gotten up early and, more or less, roped Otto into going with her.  
“Zat’s alright,” Otto was way too cheerful for this early in the morning, “VVe can look in the gift shop und get somezing to eat vvhile vve vait. Und zere are some zings vve still need to talk about.”  
Loraine nodded and followed him into the gift shop. She mostly just puttered around, not really looking at anything. She did look at the preme onesies available there but wrinkled her nose. Every single one of them said some variation of ‘early bird’ on it.  
She found Otto at the sunglasses rack, a bright blue pair over his round glasses. He must have heard her chuckle because he turned and tilted his head like a confused puppy. That made her laugh outright. He grinned, gold tooth catching the light.  
“Find anyzing you wanted?” He asked.  
Loraine shook her head, “Not really. There’s no variety in the preme onesies and everyth-”  
She trailed off, looking at a row of disposable cameras. Otto lifted the sunglasses and balanced them on top of his head.  
“Do you vvant to get a camera?”  
She bit her lip and nodded. Otto put the sunglasses back on the rack. He grabbed one of the cameras and took Loraine’s hand. She looked down at their hands. It didn’t feel wrong but...she didn’t quite have words for it. Otto didn’t hesitate to pay for the camera and open it for her.  
“Zere vve go,” He handed it to her, “All ready. Visiting hours still aren't for a vvhile. Is zere anyzing else you would like to do vvhile vve vvait?”  
Loraine fiddled with the camera, “We should probably eat. We didn’t at the hotel and I don’t think I’m going to want to leave him much today.”  
Otto nodded and, taking her hand once more, lead her over to a small cafe down the hall. As much as she hated to admit it, the warm belgan waffle felt really good after the light meals she had become used to. Still, she ate quickly. She didn’t want to still be eating when visiting hours started.  
“You can slow down just a little,” Otto assured her, “Zere’s still fifteen minutes.”  
Loraine felt her cheeks warm.  
“Und, I vvasn’t joking vvhen I said zere vvere some zings vve still need to talk about. Just a few questions for now.”  
She sat back. It was probably important for Janis Initiative to know about her situation but her stomach churned at the thought of telling anyone anything more.  
“You don’t have to answer all of the right now, “Otto assured her, “But I need to know for ze papervvork how much vve need to change.”  
Loraine sat back and nodded slowly, her voice failing her.  
“Does he know about Eli?”  
Fear gripped her heart. She shook her head.  
“N-No. I don’t think so. I-I left the day I found out I was pregnant. So, unless he found out after I left, he shouldn’t know.”  
Otto nodded slowly, “Ok. If he did, vve vould have had to change his name as vvell and I know zat you’re very attached to it. How did you manage to decide? I assume you chose your father’s name?”  
He was trying to distract her, she could tell. To put her more at ease about the questions. With a small smile, she pulled the handkerchief from her pocket.  
“You left this behind. Otto E. Scaarbach.”  
Otto took the handkerchief and looked down at his initials embroidered into it.  
“It was between Elijah, after my father, and Antonio, after my mother Antonia.”  
Otto looked more distracted now. Still looking at the cloth in his hands.  
“Zat’s funny. Ze-Ze ‘E’ stands for Elias. It vvas my Vater’s name.”  
“What a coincidence…”  
“Ja…” Otto shook his head and handed her back the handkerchief, “Ok. Just vvone more for now. Do you vvant to tell your sister?”  
Her mind went blank. She hadn’t even thought about Maranda since Eli was born.  
“Can I get back to you on that one? I haven’t really had time to think about it. I mean, if you say I could live in Arcadia then I would have to tell her something. Right?”  
“Zat is completely up to you. Perhaps we can talk about it more later. Now, visiting hours start in two minutes. Just enough time to get to the NICU.”  
Loraine shoved the last of her waffle in her mouth, grabbed his hand, and all but dragged him down the hall. A couple other parents were waiting as well.  
“Good morning, Loraine, Otto,” Yavaine waved as they approached.  
“Good morning, Yavaine. No Tristan this morning?”  
“He had to go back to work and Will had school. Tristan will bring him and Anna when he gets off work.”  
Loraine nodded slowly. She had forgotten that it was Monday. Before she had too much time to think about it, though, a nurse opened the door and waved everyone in. She forced herself to walk slowly.   
It shouldn’t have surprised her that Eli was still sleeping. She slipped her hands into the unit and stroked his head. Otto stepped up to her side.  
“Guten Morgen, Eli.”  
The baby kicked slightly in his sleep. Loraine chuckled. She pulled out her hands and lifted her camera. Putting a finger over the flash, she snapped a picture of Eli. She wound the film and set the camera on her chair before turning back to her son. The dark haired woman reached into her son’s unit and gave him a hand hug. One of the nurses was headed their way.  
“How was he last night?”  
The nurse smiled, “He was up twice for diaper and again not long ago simply because he wanted to be awake. He was dry and with the feeding tube, he shouldn’t be hungry.”  
Loraine nodded.  
“And how were you last night? It was your first night away from him, correct?”  
She nodded, “Yes. I-I was a wreck, I’ll be honest. I would have been much worse if it wasn’t for Otto and his sister.”  
It was the nurse’s turn to nod, “Yeah, friends and loved ones can be a real help with all of this.”  
SHe finished checking Eli’s monitors and smiled, making notes on his clipboard before continuing to the next unit. Otto looked at the clipboard and smiled up at Loraine.   
“He’s doing really vvell,” he said, turning his gaze to the baby, “Really vvell. Und he’s gaining vveight fast.”  
Loraine smiled proudly at her son. He cooed and grabbed onto her finger.

LLB

Loraine was antsy as she made dinner. Otto was sitting at the table, typing away on his laptop.  
“Loraine?” He looked up, “I do have some more questions for you. VVe have plenty of time so vve can do zis later. But ze sooner vve do it ze sooner it’s out of ze vvay.”  
Loraine stood at the counter for a moment. She pressed her hands against the cheap veneered wood, willing herself to stop shaking. She took a deep breath and nodded.  
“Alright. W-What do you want to know?”  
Otto took out a pen and pulled up a notebook, “Just some information for your cover. VVe don’t have everyzing for Janis Initiative set up in Arcadia yet but vve can at least get started.”  
Lorraine nodded and sat next to him, “Alright. Let’s do this.”  
Otto smiled and pat her hand, “First of all, do you vvant any say in your new name? VVe could make it ‘Lorin’ like vvhen vve first met.”  
“No! No. I used Lorin a lot while I was...traveling.”  
“Ah. Ok. A completely new name, zen. Perhaps somzing similar to your current name? But different enough zat no vvone vvill question it.”  
Silence hung over them for a moment as they thought.   
“What about ‘Lenora’? Different enough that no one will question but similar enough that I’ll still look when I hear it.”  
Otto grinned and wrote down the name, “Lenora. Very pretty! Now, vvhat about a last name?”  
Lorraine looked around the room. With a small smile she went over to the guest book and ran her finger down the list of names.  
“Janeth. Lenora and Eli Janeth.”  
Otto wrote it down as well, “Zat vvorks. At leat vve know it’s a real name. Any degrees you vvould like to keep?”  
“My teaching license,” For once she didn’t hesitate, “I would like to go back to teaching when Eli’s ready.”  
Otto nodded, “Are you opposed to being born in New Jersey? VVe can say you did a lot of traveling to explain vvhy you don’t have an accent.”  
“That’s fine. And you said that you can make it say Eli was born in Arcadia?”  
“Yes. I’ve already begun vvorking on his documents. He vvas born full term on ze day he vvas really born but he vvas sick und spent ze same amount of time in Arcadia hospital’s NICU. My sister-in-law is doing her residency zere und vvill vouch as a vvitness.”  
Lorraine nodded and took a deep breath. She was still antsy. Still nervous. But, somehow, talking about it made it all feel a little better.  
“I’m only going to ask you vvone more question tonight. I know zis may be hard to answer but vve do need to know.”  
She felt unese settle back into her stomach as she sat back down. Otto made a note on his paper and licked his lips.  
“Loraine, vve need to know his name und vvhat he looks like. Und...und vvhy you are hiding from him. Just so vve know vvhat he is capable of.”  
Lorraine suddenly felt very cold. She knew she was shaking again. She looked down at her hands. Otto took them gently in one of her own.  
“Just like earlier, you don’t have to answer right now. VVe just need to know so vve know vvhat to look out for. How best to protect you.”  
She nodded slightly. Otto squeezed her hands before getting up and going to the counter. He finished making dinner and set a plate in front of Loraine.  
“VVhy don’t you eat und get some sleep. VVe can talk about zis anozer day.”  
He closed his laptop and set his plate down. They ate in silence for a bit. Lorraine finished her food quickly and went to get ready for bed. Otto watched her go before picking up his plate and moving to do the dishes. He noticed his notebook had been flipped over.  
Casting a glance toward the bedroom, he flipped it back.  
“Roland,” Was written in elegant, curling writing.  
He sighed, put the notebook back, and continued with the dishes. Lorraine stepped up to his side, now dressed in her pajamas. She took the cheap dishes and a hotel towel and dried while Otto washed. He watched her out the corner of his eye.  
“VVhat did you teach?”  
“What?”  
“You said you vvere a teacher. VVhat did you teach?”  
“I thought you said no more questions tonight.”  
“I’m not asking as Janis Initiative. I’m asking as Otto. As a friend.”  
Lorraine looked at him and nodded, “Math. Math and Theater at Arcadia Oaks High School. I had only been there a couple of years.”  
Otto turned so fast, they both heard his neck crack.  
“You. You vvere ze zeater director. Zen...I arrived just after you left.”  
It was her turn to turn, “What?”  
“I am ze new music teacher at Arcadia Oaks High School. VValt,,,He mentioned zat ze zeater director vvas excited to know zat zere-”  
“Would be someone teaching the orchestra and who could actually play the piano. Y-Your Walter Strickler’s brother?”  
Otto nodded, jaw hanging open, “Mein Gott...He...Zey vvere so vvorried.”  
She hung her head in shame. She hadn’t intended to stay away as long as she had. But things had quickly gotten out of hand.  
“VValt’s going to be ecstatic zat vve found you!” Otto’s entire demeanor shifted from shock to elation, “I don’t zink he’s realized zat you are you!”  
Lorraine could only nod. If her coworkers were this worried about her, what was her sister doing?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
Loraine strode briskly into the NICU, making a bee line to Eli’s unit. She stopped short when she noticed the group of nurses gathered around one of the units. She watched them while she said good morning to her son and blew him a kiss. When the crowd dispersed, she crept forward.  
The baby in the unit was a little boy. His nametag read ‘Leonard’ and he was dressed in a black onesie that read ‘Strong like a lion’ and a pair of soft, brown pants. A little black graduation cap lay by his head.  
“NICU graduate. 56 days behind me, a lifetime in front of me!”  
The worry that had built up in her belly melted away. A bright grin spread over her face.  
“Let me guess,” Yavaine stepped up beside her, “Little Leo is going home.”  
“Yes. I know it probably sounds silly but I can’t help home that my baby won’t be in here much longer.”  
Yavaine nodded, “I get that. Nattie’s been here for twenty days so far, We’re all ready for her to come home soon. Where’s Otto this morning?”  
“No. He had some paperwork to send to his substitute back home and he wanted to call his little sister. He’ll come by for a little bit later.”  
Yavaine chuckled, “I understand that, too. How’s his son doing? Toby, right?”  
“Toby’s doing ok. He’s staying with Otto’s brother right now and he has a son a little older than Toby,” Lorraine looked down and lowered her voice, “He hasn’t said anything but I know Otto misses him a lot. They’ve been apart for almost four weeks.”  
Yavaine nodded slowly, “I bet you’re right. Heck, if he misses Toby half as much as I miss Will and Anna during the day then I don’t know how he’s done it for three weeks.”  
The two women made their way back to their babies and sat in the chaires between the units.  
“At least the doctor said Natasha should be able to go home soon. They haven’t even begun to talk about Eli going home. I tried to tell Otto he could go home. That I’d be fine. But he wouldn’t hear it. He insistes on staying and helping me with Eli.”  
Yavaine laughed.  
“What?”  
Yavaine shook her head, “Nothing, Lenny. Just remembering something Tristan said the other day. Don’t worry about it.”  
Lorraine fixed her friend with a hard look. She sighed and looked over at Eli in his unit, cuddling his crochet octopus. The feeding tube had been removed only a few days before. As such, he needed even more attention. He cried a lot more, not used to the sensation of hunger he now experienced.  
“With any luck he’ll be off the CPap soon,” Yavaine’s voice cut into her thoughts, “Once that happens the doctors will probably start talking about him going home.”  
Lorraine nodded slowly, eyes trained on Eli. Then she shook her head and turned back to Yavaine.

LLB

It was Loraine’s turn to make dinner. An envelope on the counter, however, distracted her from the hotdogs she was cooking.  
“Otto? What’s this?”  
The man looked up from his laptop, “Ah! I changed the film in your camera und got the pictures developed today.”  
Lorraine stared at the envelope for a moment. Then she yelped and turned back to the hotplate. Otto chuckled.  
“VVe can look at zem after dinner. Und zats not ze only zing I have for you tonight.”  
“What does that mean?” Lorraine forked the hotdogs onto slices of bread.  
“Nono sent you a package. It arrived zis afternoon,” He closed his laptop and packed up the paperwork that surrounded him.  
“She didn’t have to do that.”  
“She wanted to. She did the same thing vvhen jim vvas born.”  
“But not Toby?” Loraine set the plate on the table.  
“No. Toby...came vviz everyzing. But she did knit him a svveater,” Otto took his share of the food and lifted an eyebrow, “Americans are vveired.”  
“Shut up and eat the cheap Hungarian sausage,” Lorraine smirked.  
Otto chuckled and did as he was told. As soon as they finished eating, Otto washed the plate and handed Loraine the envelope. She took it eagerly but carefully. The two moved to the sofa to look at the pictures together.  
Lorraine’s heart practically broke when she saw the oldest photos. Eli was tiny, wearing nothing but an equally tiny diaper, a seemingly endless number of wires and tubes attached to him. But as time went on the baby got bigger. The crochet octopus joined him. The heart monitor was moved to his little wrist from his foot.  
Then, there were the pictures Otto had taken. Lorraine giving her son a hand hug; giving Eli a bath; changing his diaper. She stopped and swiped a thumb over the picture.  
“Zat’s ze first time you got to hold him.”  
She nodded. They had used a method called ‘kangaroo care’. She had had to unbutton her shirt. Then Eli was laid against her bare chest and a blanket laid over them. He had fussed under the blanket but she couldn’t have cared less. She was just happy to be holding her baby. She flipped to the next picture and grinned. Yavaine had taken it.  
The other woman had taken the camera from Otto and told him to get in the shot. He had knelt by her side, hands folded on the arm of the chair, eyes trained on the tiny baby.  
“You should take this one,” She tried to hand it to him.  
Otto shook his head and pushed the photo back to her, “Nein. You keep it. I can make a copy if I vvant vvone.”  
She nodded and scootched closer to him. Otto slipped one arm over the back of the sofa and they continued to flip through the pictures. The very last picture was of the day the doctor had taken out the feeding tube. Lorraine had gotten to feed her baby with a bottle for the first time. She smiled softly at the picture and lay her head against Otto’s shoulder.  
“Would we be able to get a photo album for them?”  
“Of course. VVe can do zat tomorrow. Now, open vvhat Nono sent. I vvan’t to know vvhat she zought would be good gifts for you und Eli.”  
Lorraine sat up and tucked the pictures back in the envelope before pulling the cardboard box towards her. Otto handed her his keys to break the tape. Inside was a letter and a small assortment of onesies. She read the letter first.  
“Loraine,  
Otto told us about your little ‘dilemma’ with dressing Eli. I decided to take it upon myself to rectify the situation. I hope these do the job.  
Sincerely,   
Nomura  
PS: I know he said you complained about all the ‘bird’ onesies but I couldn’t resist.”  
Her eyebrows shot up and she lifted out one of the onesies. It was black with green writing that said ‘I make a DRAMATIC entrance’ and a little beret on the ‘D’ of dramatic. The next one was green with black writing that said ‘Enter with’ and, in sparkling gold, ‘Flaire!’. The Greek theater masks were stitched into the bottom. Excitement flooded her body as she pulled out the last onesie. It was white with a blue bird and gold words reading ‘Free Bird!’.  
Lorraine giggled and rocked back. Otto chuckled. He watched as she clutched the onesie to her chest and leaned against his shoulder. They were quiet for a moment as she relaxed.  
“Do you think he’ll be released soon?” Lorraine whispered.  
Otto rest his hand on her arm, “Yes. Yes, I do.”  
“Do you think he’ll be home by Christmas?”  
“I sure hope so.”   
The comfortable silence fell over them once more. Lorraine folded the onesies and put them back in the box. She would put them with the rest of Eli’s things later. She lay back against Otto’s shoulder again. The light on his computer camera started blinking.  
“VValt’s calling early. Do you vvant to give him a bit of a surprize?”  
“You haven’t told him yet?”  
“I vvanted you to see the look on his face!”  
Lorraine nodded and sat up, letting Otto open his laptop and turn on the chat. A young, red haired woman appeared on the screen. She held a chubby, red haired baby in one arm and a lanky, raven haired baby in the other.  
“Hello, Otto! Oh. Um. Hi.”  
“Hello.”  
“Hallo, Barbara. VVhere’s VValt?”  
“I got off early today and figured you wouldn’t mind seeing Toby Bear early. Walt should be home in a couple minutes. You must be Loraine?”  
“Yes. You must be Barbara Strickler and those are Jim and Toby.”  
“Yep!” Barbara hefted the babies into more upright positions, facing the computer.  
“Hallo, Baerchen,” OTto leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.  
The red haired baby shrieked and kicked. One foot landed squarely in the center of Barbara’s chest. Otto cringed.  
“Es tut mir leid, Barbara.”  
“Bitte,” She groaned before taking a deep breath, “I guess he’s just excited to see you. Any idea when you’ll be coming home?”  
Lorraine hung her head. Otto sat up and held her hands in one of his own. He licked his lips and looked back at the computer.  
“Ze doctors haven’t said anyzing yet. Hopefully soon.”  
Barbara nodded, “How is Eli?”  
“He’s-”  
“Barbara? I’m home!”  
The woman in question looked off screen and smiled, “Dining room, Walt.”  
“Ah, calling Otto early?’ The tall brit stepped into frame and took Jim from his wife, “Hallo, Bruderlei- Lorraine?”  
His eyes went wide. He clutched Jim closer. The word was little more than a whisper.  
“Hi, Strickler,” She waved sheepishly.  
“You’re ali-I didn’t dare think that you were the same- My God…”  
Barbara looked between her husband and the computer, expression morphing from confusion, to understanding, to shock, “You’re...Loraine Pepperjack?”  
Lorraine nodded mutely. Otto grinned and squeezed her hands. Then, Walt’s face morphed from surprise to anger.  
“VValt?”  
“Who did this, Lorraine?”  
“W-What?”  
“Who hurt you? Because if I ever see him, if he ever shows his face in Arcadia Oaks, our firewalls will be the least of his problems.”  
“VValt!”  
Lorraine’s blood ran cold. She may have been gone for a year but the Walter Strickler she remembered was not prone to threats. Barbara put one hand on her husband’s shoulder. He sighed and shook his head.  
“I’m sorry, Loraine. It’s just...we were all so worried when you never came back. Just...Just know, no one here will let him hurt you again. Even if they don’t know that you are you.”  
She couldn’t say a word. Heart was pounding in her chest. She squeezed Otto’s hand and nodded. Jim chose that moment to start crying. And, once his cousin started crying, Toby wan’t far behind.   
“We’ll have to call you again later, “Barbara bounced Toby gently.  
“Ja,” Otto nodded, “Liebe sie alle. See you soon.”  
“Love you, too,’ Walt lifted Jim to his shoulder and turned off the computer.  
Even after the screen went black, Loraine stared at it. Her reflection stared back.   
“Loraine? Are you alright?”  
She nodded. Otto wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a loose hug. She leaned into it.  
“What was I thinking when I stayed with him? Why didn’t I call or-or write? Why did I leave at all?”  
“I-I don’t know. But zere’s nozing you can do to change vvhat happened. VVe’ll be home soon und everyzing vvill be ok. I promise.”  
She nodded against his shoulder. They stayed like that, not caring as time passed.

LLB

It had been a few days since Loraine and Walter had been ‘reunited’ and he had returned to his usual self in every conversation since. Now, however, Lorraine only had one thing on her mind. Helping her son get better. There was a nurse waiting for her at Eli’s unit when she arrived at the NICU.  
The nurse grinned and stepped out of her way. Lorraine’s knees buckled and she nearly fell when she saw her son.  
“He was taken off the CPap early this morning,” The nurse explained, “But, if he has a relapse, he may have to be put back on it.”  
Lorraine nodded and slipped her hands into Eli’s unit.  
“I’m going to double check with the doctor but you should be able to hold him again today.”  
Lorraine couldn’t say anything. She was on cloud nine. Eli yawned and grabbed her finger. His grip was getting stronger.  
“Loraine!”  
She turned to see Yavaine rushing towards her. The other woman had a baby car seat in hand. Lorraine gasped.  
“Nattie’s going home today?”  
“Yes. And I wanted to give you this first,” She fished a piece of paper out of her pocket, “Here’s my Email and phone number. Don’t hesitate to write and absolutely call when Eli is released.”  
“I will,” Lorraine pulled her hand from her son’s grasp and hugged her friend, “Thank you so much for all your help.”  
“You’re welcome. I know you’re moving back across the country but please don’t be a stranger.”  
“I won’t if you wont.”  
“Deal!” Yavaine turned to the unit and smiled down at Eli, “And you get well soon, Stinker. Your mama and Otto are ready for you to go home.”  
After that, it wasn’t long before Yavaine and Tristan packed up their daughter and left. For the first time since Eli was born, Lorraine didn’t have a friend to talk to. So, she talked to Eli.  
She told him about her night; about all the things and plans she and Otto had for him once they got to Arcadia; about Otto and Walter and Nomura and their family. She told him about all the people that were waiting to meet him and about his Aunt Maranda. She changed his diaper and gave him a bottle.  
“Ms. Pepperjack?”  
Lorraine turned to the nurse. She hadn’t realized how much time had passed.  
“Would you like to hold Eli for a bit?”  
“Of course!” She hastily sat down and reached for the buttons on her blouse.  
“Oh. You don't have to do kangaroo care now. You can just hold him if you want.”  
Lorraine gaped at the nurse and held out her arms like a child. The nurse chuckled and handed her the baby. Eli fussed for only a second before settling into his mother’s embrace. The nurse nodded in satisfaction and went over to check on another family. A set of twins. Lorraine couldn’t take her eyes off her son. Her only regret was that she couldn't hold him and take a picture of him at the same time.  
“Hallo. Sorry I took so long today. I saw zat Natasha vvent ho- He’s off ze CPap?”  
Lorraine nodded and grinned up at Otto. He chuckled quietly. A short gasp of a laugh. Then, he took the camera form on top of her coat and took a picture. He put the camera back and leaned against the back of the chair. He reached around Loraine’s shoulder and stroked Eli’s cheek with the back of his fingers.

LLB

Even though it was technically Loriane’s turn to make dinner, Otto had walked down to a small diner and ordered dinner to go. Lorraine was finally calling her sister and he wanted to give her a little privacy in which to do so. The hotel room was quiet when he returned. He set the food on the table and went looking for his companion.  
It didn’t take him long to find her. He opened the bedroom door and found her sitting on the floor by the bed. The hotel phone was still in her hand. She was sobbing.  
“Loraine? VVhat happened?” He dropped to his knees in front of her.  
She shook her head, “I c-called Maranda. I-I told h-her that I-I-I’m in New Jersey. Th-That I got into some trouble in Europe. But before I could say anything else she cut me off. She- She’s livid! I’ve never heard her that angry before. I-I don’t blame her but she barely even let me speak! I didn’t even get to tell her about Eli…”  
Otto sat beside her and pulled her close. He stroked her hair and rocked her gently. When her sobbs were reduced to hiccups he eased the phone from her hand. He hit the redial.  
“Hallo?”  
“Listen, asshole,” The voice that answered was similar to Loraine’s but harsher and more shrill, “I don’t care who you are or how my sister got involved with you. Just tell her to fix her own problems and if she wants to talk to me, she can do so if she makes it back.”  
The line went dead. Otto’s blood began to boil. He no longer cared what anybody thought. Maranda Pepperjack had just made this personal. He scooped Loraine into his arms and picked her up.  
“I vvill talk to VValt und Nono tonight,” He insisted, “If need be you vvill stay vviz vvone of us.”  
Lorraine looped her arms around his neck for more balance, “But-”  
“No ‘buts’. You have been hurt enough. I vvon’t let it happen again. Das verspreche ich.”  
She didn’t know what to say. She just lay her head against his shoulder.  
“Are-are you sure? I can cook and clean until I can get a new job. Then I’ll start paying ren-”  
“Nope. Not happening. You vvill not be paying to stay. If you insist on doing anyzing, you can vvatch Toby during ze day.  
“But-”  
“I said ‘no buts’,” He set her on the sofa and knelt in front of her, “Staying vviz me vvould be much ze same as staying here. But vviz two babies. VVe can talk to VValt, Barbara, und Nomura tonight. Zen you can make a choice. It vvill be ok.”  
She nodded and squeezed his hands. Otto smiled. He kissed her hands and stood. He brought the food over and set it on the coffee table.  
“How about vve eat here tonight.”  
She nodded again. Otto stayed far enough away that they weren’t touching but close enough that she could reach out to him if she wanted. They ate in silence and sat on the sofa until Otto’s computer camera began to blink.  
“Good evening, you two,” Walt greeted, Toby against his shoulder, “Yikes. Have you two slept at all tonight?”  
Otto looked at Loraine and sighed, “Actually, VValt, vve need to talk.”  
“Oh no. Is Eli alright?” The other man’s eyes darted between the two.  
“Yes! Yes. Eli’s alright. He’s doing great, actually. It’s…”  
“I called Maranda,” Lorraine blurted.  
“Ah. I take it it didn’t go well?”  
Lorraine shook her head. Otto squeezed her shoulder gently.  
“VVould she be able to stay vviz vvone of us for ze time being?”  
“Of course! Otto, have you and Loraine talked about some of this already?”  
“Ja.”  
“Alright. Barbara, Nomura, Lorraine needs a place to stay. Otto has already started the conversation. We just need to finish it.”  
The other two women entered the frame.  
“You could stay with me,” Nomura offered, “I work kinda long hours at the museum some nights but I have a bonus room that could work for you and Eli. I might even be able to hook you up with a job at the museum!”  
“And we have a guest bedroom you could stay in. Eli could share the nursery with Jim. Neither of them are sleeping through the night so we wouldn’t have to worry about them waking each other up at night,” Barbara rocked her son.  
Lorraine looked at each of the siblings, shaking like a leaf. Nomura blinked. Her eyes darted around the screen for a moment.  
“But I think staying with Otto would work best.”  
“What?”  
“Yeah. Toby and Eli are closer in age than Eli and Jim so you really won’t have any trouble with the whole ‘sleeping and waking each other up at night’. For longer than with Jim and Eli, anyway. And you’re already used to each other. I just think it would work the best.”  
Lorraine looked at Otto. At the same time, he looked at her.  
“It’s entirely up to you, Lorraine,” Barbara insisted.  
Lorraine looked between the siblings. She took a deep breath and nodded.  
“I-Is that ok, Otto?”  
“Y-Yes. Zat’s fine vviz me.”  
She smiled wanly. Despite knowing that she and her baby wouldn’t be on the streets, she couldn’t shake the hurt feeling in her stomach.  
“We’ll find another crib for Eli,” Barbara continued, “And make sure that everything is ready. And, Lorraine? If you ever need to talk to someone, You can talk to any of us.”

LLB

Otto was just closing his phone when Loraine approached that morning.  
“Everything alright, Otto?”  
“Ja! Yes. I’m just...I’m going to be a little late zis morning. I have to make some calls before I come in.”  
“Are you sure? I could wait for you.”  
“No. Go on. I vvon’t be long. I promise. You go see Eli und I’ll bring breakfast vvhen I come in. Alright?”  
“Alright,” Lorraine put on her coat, “Don’t be too long, ok? And don’t forget your hat. It’s colder than usual.”  
“I vvill. Now go. Or you’ll miss ze cab.”  
She chuckled and shook her head. By the time she made it out of the hotel, the taxi cab was waiting for her. At the NICU, any thought of Otto and his being late was quickly pushed out of her mind.  
She practically bounced to her son’s unit. Eli was still asleep, as usual, cuddling with his octopus. Tucked into his unit was a little black graduation cap.  
“NICU graduate. 21 days inside, a lifetime ahead of me!”  
Her heart stopped in her chest. Was it a joke? Was Eli really coming home?  
“Surprize.”  
She turned to see Otto standing behind her. He had the baby carrier in one hand and Eli’s baby bag in the other.  
“You knew?”  
“Zey called zis morning. I vvanted to see ze look on your face.”  
Lorraine chuckled and hugged him tightly. They talked with the doctor and finished up the paperwork. Then, bundling up Eli in a warm outfit, they were finally able to take him home.  
They didn’t bother to wait. Even though it was around six in the morning in Arcadia, they called Walter and Barbara.  
“Otto? Lorraine? *Yawn* What’s going-Is that-is that Eli?” Walter sat upright in the chair, suddenly very awake.  
Lorraine grinned and held her son closer. Walter laughed.  
“So...so when are you all coming home?”  
“Our flight is at ten o’clock tomorrow morning,” Otto said, “VVe should be home around four.”  
Walter grinned, “That’s wonderful! I’ll pick you up. Or Nono will. You get it. Someone will be there.”  
Lorraine laughed. The first real laugh Otto had heard from her.  
Walter then turned more serious, “And you’re going to do it as soon as we finish talking?”  
“Yes. Just ze push of ze button.”  
Walter nodded firmly, “Alright. I’ll see you all tomorrow. Love you.”  
The screen went black but not for long. Otto leaned forward and began to type hastily. Lorraine recognized her and Eli’s Janis Initiative fails. Otto turned to face her.  
“Ready?”  
“...Yes.”  
He pushed the button and, after a moment, closed the laptop.  
“Loraine Pepperjack died on December 16, 1999 in an accident on a New Jersey pier. She drowned in the bay before the rescue team could reach her. On ze same day, Lenora Janeth vvas informed zat her son Elijah would be able to go home from ze Arcadia Oaks NICU after he recovered from a serious illness, vvhich he vvas born vviz.”  
Loraine nodded and leaned over until her head was resting on top of Otto’s. Eli cooed quietly in her arms.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
The morning of the flight was the most hectic either of them had had since Eli was born. They had to get all of Eli’s things packed up and make sure the baby was properly bundled up against the December cold. His mother dressed him in the ‘Enter with flair!’ onesie and put the sleeper Nomura made him over top of it. A knit hat was pulled over his ears and blankets were tucked around him.  
“Vve can remove layers if he gets hot,” Otto reasoned, “VVe can’t add layers vvonce everyzing is packed.”  
Then, once everything was packed, they took a cab to the airport. All that was left to do was wait. Otto checked their bags and met her by the airport terminal.  
She was on the edge of her seat. Her leg bounced uncontrollably. Otto sat beside her and put one hand on her knee. Without a word he handed her a hot chocolate and a breakfast sandwich.   
“Do you have something against coffee?”  
He looked away, “Um...In a vvay? Actually, I can’t have caffeine. Und I tend to forget zat ozer people actually like it.”  
“Oh.”  
Her leg started bouncing again.  
“Lenora? Is somezing wrong?”  
She looked around then down at Eli. The baby was still sound asleep in his carseat.  
“We’re really exposed. What if someone sees us? What if Eli starts crying on the plane? What if I can't calm him down? What if they lose our luggage? Premie stuff is expensive and his prescription refill is in there. I can’t lose that!”  
Otto put his hand back on her knee, “It’s ok. Breaz in...und out. Again. In...und out. It’s going to be ok. Eli has his pacifier, so he shouldn’t cry during take off. If he starts crying, I don’t zink you’ll have much trouble calming him down. If you do, I can help you. Remember, you are not alone.”  
She took another deep breath and nodded, “But-”  
“If zey lose our luggage, it vvill be ok. VVe vvill get it back und, until vve do, Eli can vvare some of Jim’s old clothes. VVe may have to roll ze sleeves but Jim was two weeks early so zey should be fine ozervvize. If ze prescription is lost zen vve can get it refilled zrough ze Aradia Oaks Hospital. Remember, all ze papervvork is already zere.”  
Lenora sighed and nodded. She lifted Eli from his carrier. Otto rubbed her back gently. He kept an eye on the monitor and an ear tuned to the loud speaker saying when the flight number was announced. He played with Eli’s fingers absentmindedly.   
When their flight was called, Otto grabbed their carry-ons and Lenora strapped Eli back into his carrier. They hurried to their seats to get Eli settled before take off. Eli was in the seat between them with Lenora in the window seat and Otto in the aisle seat. The plane was soon full and pulled away from the loading dock.  
Lenora’s leg began to bounce again and she kept on hand resting on Eli’s belly. Otto took her hand, eyes trained on the baby. While he did kick and twitch a little, Eli didn’t cry or fuss as the plane took to the sky. Only then did Lenora sit back and relax. She gently swiped her thumb over her son’s belly. Otto smiled and pulled a book out of his bag. The title was in German and must have been in a local dialect because Lenora didn’t understand it.  
After roughly an Hour, Eli began to fuss. Otto pushed his glasses back up his nose and looked up from his book. Lenora had fallen asleep. He smiled lightly and checked the baby’s diaper.  
Wet. Otto looked over at Lenora for a moment before grabbing the diaper bag. He unbuckled Eli and, baby against his shoulder, made his way to the airplane bathroom. He changed the diaper quickly, unable to resist tickling his tiny feet.  
“Bleg. Kein Müll.”  
He groaned and wrapped the diaper in a plastic bag and tucked it back into the diaper bag. Eli was still fussing slightly so Otto hurried back to their seats. Lenora had woken up and was looking around frantically.  
“It’s OK. VVe’re right here. He needed a diaper change und you vvere asleep. I didn’t vvant to vvake you,” He immediately handed her child over.  
Lenora clutched her son close and pressed her nose against his head. However, she noticed his fussing and reached for a bottle from the bag. Eli drank earnestly, making small noises against the bottle.  
“Thank you,” Lenora whispered, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I just...thank you.”  
“Bite. Clearly you needed the sleep.”  
She nodded and looked back at her son. When he finished, she lifted him to her shoulder for burping. Otto smiled, watching them with soft eyes. Someone tapped his arm. An old woman with grey curls and brown eyes sat across the aisle. A brown camera bag sat by her feet.  
“I just wanted to say, your son is adorable,” She whispered.  
Otto opened and closed his mouth for a moment. He turned to look at Lenora for help. But, her attention was absorbed by the baby against her shoulder.  
‘Does this stranger need to know ze truth?’ He turned back to the woman across the aisle, “Danke. He has been sick for a vvhile so vve’re happy he can come home now.”  
The camera lady smiled, “Well, good luck. I’m glad he’s doing better.”  
Otto nodded and turned back to Lenora and Eli.

They touched down in Arcadia Oaks Airport at 4:15 in the afternoon. Otto went to the baggage claim and Lenora took Eli and their carry-ons to wait by the gate.  
“Lenora!” Nomura waved as she ran up, “Hey!”  
“Nomura!”   
“Walt and Barb sent me to pick you guys up,” The younger woman explained, giving her a one armed hug, “Let me guess, Otto went to get your luggage? Oh! Is this Eli?”  
Lenora looked at the baby in his carrier, “Yes. This is Elijah.”  
Eli blinked up at Nomura with large, brown eyes.  
“He’s so tiny! I can’t believe I ever thought Jim and Toby were tiny!”  
“Ah, Nomura!” Otto approached, Lenora’s bag in one hand, his in the other, and Eli’s tossed over his shoulder, “Did VValt make you come?”  
“No! I wanted to see the new baby.”  
Otto rolled his eyes and waved for his sister to lead the way. Her little maroon car was waiting in the one hour parking. Otto put their bags in the trunk while Nomura helped Lenora get Eli’s car seat strapped in. Then, they were on their way home.  
Otto’s house was the second in a cul-de-sac on the edge of Arcadia. Just outside the forest and foothills that lead to the surrounding mountains. His brother’s house was across the street. Together, they were the only houses on the cul-de-sac.  
Nomura pulled into the driveway and wait while her passengers gathered their things to go inside. Otto opened the door with two fingers as their hands were all full.  
“You und Eli are in the room at ze top of ze stairs. Toby is in ze room next to you und I am across ze hall.”  
“I can’t thank you eno…”  
There were people waiting for them in the living room. Walter and Barbara, each holding a baby.  
“Oh! Toby Bear, look who it is,” Barbara stepped forward.  
The red haired baby looked up at his father with wide eyes. Then he let out a shriek of delight. Otto dropped the bags and took his son into his arms.  
“Hallo, Baerchen,” He pressed their foreheads together, “Oh. I habe dich so vermisst.”  
Lenora smiled softly and shifted her grip on Eli’s carrier. She nodded and made her way to the staircase.  
“Lenora?”  
She turned. Walt was looking at her. He handed Jim to his wife and approached. He smiled down at Eli in the carrier. Suddenly, the tall man latched onto her, arms around her shoulders.  
“Welcome home. I’m so glad you’re home…”  
She stood, stiff as a board, for a moment. Then, she wrapped her free arm around him. She buried her face in his neck.  
“Thank you.”  
They stated that way for a minute. After they parted Otto stepped up.  
“Baerchen, zis is Lenora und her baby, Eli. Zey are going to be staying vviz us now.”  
Toby blinked up at her. Then, he turned and nuzzled back into his father’s chest. Otto smiled.  
“I’m going to take Eli upstairs and get him settled. Then I’ll come back down and say hello to Toby properly.”  
Otto nodded and cuddled his son, “Of course. I’ll bring ze bags up later. I just-I vvant to be vviz Toby for a bit.”  
Lenora nodded and made her way up. Otto turned to face his brother and sisters. Walt wiped his eyes.  
“I’m glad she’s back,” he whispered, “Even if we can’t tell anyone who she is.”  
“You und I boz.”  
“I just hope she’s ok,” Barbara looked up at her husband, “After everything she’s been through.”  
Only a few minutes later and Lenora came back downstairs.   
“Eli all settled?”  
“Yes. He’s sleeping now. Thanks again for letting us stay here.”  
“It’s no problem,” Otto assured her.  
She smiled and turned to Toby, “Hello, Toby. It’s nice to finally meet you.”  
Otto gently handed her the baby. At four months old, Toby was much larger than Eli. He looked up at her with big green eyes. The baby curled into her chest and grabbed a fistfull of her violet sweater.  
“I’ll take that as ‘hello’.”

Within two days, it was time for Otto to go back to work. Lenora was more than a little jealous. She enjoyed working at the highschool. But, right now, Eli needed her more. It hadn’t taken them long to fall into a rhythm together. They had to admit, it was nice to have someone else be awake at two in the morning feeding the babies with.  
Now, Otto kissed Toby gently and lay him in the playpen in his bedroom, “I’ll try to be home quickly after vvork. You know vvhere everyzing is but don’t hesitate to call if you need anyzing.”  
“Alright. Any last minute information you need to tell me?”  
“Not zat I can zink of.”  
She nodded and waved him off. She stayed in the doorway and wait until his car was out of sight. Then, she got to work.  
Eli was tucked against her chest in a baby bjorn and the baby monitor to Toby was clipped to her waistband. She started in the kitchen and scrubbed the counters. Her and Otto had done the dishes together after breakfast so there wasn’t actually much for her to do. Scrub the counters, sweep the floors, move on to the living room. She had only started dusting when the baby monitor went off. Toby was awake.  
She hurried in and checked his diaper. Wet. Carefully, she picked him up and lay him on the bed. He stopped crying as soon as the wet diaper was off. Eli, however, decided it was his turn to make some noise.  
Lenora quickly finished changing Toby’s diaper and lifted Eli from his baby bjorn. The faster she quieted one baby, the less likely it was that the other would start crying. She froze when she lay her baby next to Otto’s. Toby dwarfed Eli.  
‘It shouldn’t surprise me...Toby’s older...and he was born full term…’She reasoned, shaking her head.  
She was snapped out of her reverie as Toby’s face began to scrunch up.  
“Oh no…”  
Both babies were crying. Lenora groaned and changed Eli’s diaper. The crying continued. She held a baby in each arm and made her way back down to the kitchen. Suddenly, she was glad she had just scrubbed the counters. She lay both boys down and made two bottles. To her astonishment, both babies began to quiet.   
Somehow, in the two seconds that she had turned to the refrigerator, Toby had managed to grab Eli’s hand. Their wails subsided to gentle coos. She still made the bottles but neither of them were hungry.  
Sighing, she picked them both up and went back to the living room. She lay them both on the sofa for a moment while she lay a soft, clean blanket on the floor for them. Then, she moved them both to the floor and sat with them.  
Toby kicked slightly and watched as Lenora held up a sparkly ring of soft baby keys. Eli just watched. Neither of them were old enough to do much more than that. She played with the babies for a few minutes before returning to her cleaning.  
She finished the dusting, wiping off the TV screen and the coffee table. That was before Eli started crying again. This didn’t phase her. She just reheated the bottles and carefully fed both babies. Burping both babies took a bit of physical manipulation but she pulled it off. One loud belch and one quiet burp later and they both fell asleep.  
Lenora bit back a sigh of relief. She wait a moment before moving, just letting the babies sleep in her arms, before taking them back up stairs and laying them on her bed. She tucked pillows on either side of them, even though neither of them could roll yet, and placed the baby monitor by their heads. As quietly as she could, she made her way back down the stairs.  
With both babies asleep, she took the time to do the laundry. The washer and dryer were both in the basement. She worked fast. If she was lucky the boys would sleep for a half an hour. Sure enough, she was just as she was sitting back on the sofa when first Toby then Eli started crying.   
Lenora sighed, “And back at it. No rest for the wicked.”

Otto sighed through his nose as he walked into the house. He stopped.  
“Oh. Toby Bear, Eli, look who’s home,” Lenora stood from the floor and handed Toby to his father, “How was work?”  
“Teaching in a public highschool,” he shrugged and took Toby, “I’m lucky most of my students like me. You cleaned?”  
“...Yeah…”  
“I told you you don’t have to do zat.”  
“I had to do something while the boys slept.”  
Otto made a face and sighed, “Alright. Ozer zen zat, how vvas your day?”  
“Hm... I think I understand the parents of twins now.”  
He laughed and played with Eli’s foot, “Did you boys run Mama ragged?”  
“I wouldn’t say ragged,” She blushed and led the way back to the sofa, “Just...kept me on my toes.”  
They sat on the sofa together, babies snuggled between them.  
“So, what should we do for dinner?”  
“Hmm. How about shepard’s pie?”  
Lenora nodded, “That works. If you’ll hold Eli I can go boil the potatoes.”  
“No. I’ll do it. You’ve been taking care of ze boys all day.”  
“But you’ve had to deal with students all day.”  
Otto thought for a moment, “I’ll peal, you cut. VVe can do it togezer.”  
She nodded and shifted Eli against her shoulder. Otto spread the blanket down in the kitchen for Toby and Eli and they got to work. Otto sat on a chair, trash can in front of him, and peeled the potatoes. Lenora got out a cutting board and chopped the potatoes into more manageable pieces. They worked in silence, lost in thought.  
“Maybe I should get a tvvin stroller for ze boys. Zat vvay you aren't all cooped up in here all ze time.”  
“But...aren't those expensive?”  
“Zey can be. Maybe I can find a used vvone. It vvill be good for you all to get some fresh air. Und you’ll be able to make some more friends.”  
Lenora turned her attention back to the potatoes. She hadn’t had many friends before she left. Just the ones Maranda dragged her along to see and her coworkers. Now, all she had was Otto and his family.  
“Maybe you’re right… Hey, Otto?”  
“Ja?”  
“Would it be alright with you if I read Shakespear to the boys? I-”  
“You don’t need to ask,” He stopped peeling and looked up at her, “I trust your judgement. Und zere are musical CDs if you vvant to put zem in. I have Hairspray, Annie, Veggie Tales, Disney... You can listen to vvhatever you vvant.”  
Lenora looked down at him, “Did you get those before or after you adopted Toby?”  
“Yes!” Otto shot her a cheeky grin, “I had most of zem already. Some of zem I got vviz Toby vvhen I adopted him. Namely ze Veggie Tales und some of ze Disney. A good rule of zumb is ‘if it’s in German, it is from BT. Before Toby’.”  
She chuckled. Otto smiled up at her before turning back to the potatoes.  
“I know you vvere ze zeater director but I don’t actually know if you like musicals.”  
“I do. I just like Shakespear more. Especially the comedies. But those aren't usually school appropriate.”  
“Midsomer or Much Ado?”  
“Twelfth Night. It may not be as funny as Much Ado but the confusion of the twins always makes me laugh. Maranda hates it...”  
Otto looked up at her again. Lenora was smiling but her eyes were distant. They returned to their work, a comfortable silence falling over them. Working together, they managed to get dinner started without the babies interrupting them. Lenora picked up Eli and rocked him gently.  
“Lenora?”  
“I’m fine,” She smiled at him softly, “Just thinking.”  
He nodded and scooped up Toby, tickling his son’s feet.

Lenora waved as Otto drove off. A grin spread over her face as his car pulled out of sight. She had a plan. It was still dark and the boys were still asleep so she scurried off to finish getting everything ready. She layed out Eli’s warm clothes and made sure she had plenty of diapers for both babies. Then she ran back down the stairs and made sure their breakfasts were ready. Right on cue, Eli started crying and Toby followed shortly after. For once, she smiled and ran to get her boys. She fed them, bundled them up, and made sure they were both strapped into the stroller properly. Then, they were off.  
Today was Otto’s last day of work before the winter break. After today, she would have no time to get him a gift or to work out anything for the boys. She felt in her pocket for the meager cash she still had. It was only a handful of bills and coins but hopefully it would be enough to get what she needed. She absolutely refused to buy Otto a gift with his own money. At least from her. Her plan for the boys was cheap anyway. She tilted her head as she looked around the town. Flowers never last and there was no way she could afford something from any of the big shops or boutiques. But going to the dollar store seemed a bit too cheap…  
She bit her lip as she looked up at the resale shop. It wasn’t busy and it looked reasonably nice. Stealing her resolve, she tightened her grip on the stroller handle and opened the door.  
“Hello!” The woman behind the counter waved cheerfully, “Welcome to Della’s.”  
Lenora waved back. The small shop must have opened in the time that she had been gone because she didn’t remember it from before. She looked around quickly, praying that the boys would stay quiet while they were there. The one small problem was...she had no idea what she was looking for...She browsed the ties but found that she couldn’t imagine him wearing any tie but his black tie. She looked at the books but realized she didn’t know which ones he had, the CDs but didn’t know which ones he liked and didn’t have. She was about ready to give up. On her way to the door she noticed a display case next to the counter. She hazarded a look.   
It was jewelry. There were necklaces, and rings, and watches, and tie clips. She smiled and looked over the shiny items.   
“Is there anything I can help you find?” Della asked.  
“Um...I’m looking for a Christmas gift...I just...I’m not sure what to get him…”  
Della nodded slowly and looked over the items in her display case. She tapped her chin and brushed her red bangs from her eyes. She glanced at the babies in the stroller and did a double take.  
“Oh! Well, hello, Toby Bear! Are you looking for something for Otto?”  
“How did you know? Do you know him and Toby?”  
“Yes I do. Toby’s my godson. So is Jim. The Janis Treo are old family friends.”  
“What?!”  
Della must have mistaken her shock for confusion because she chuckled and shook her head, “I’m sorry. I mean Walter, Otto, and Nomura. Their mother’s surname was Janis so my mother, sister, and I called them ‘The Janis Treo’. Morgan Janis was her name. When she adopted them, they kept their original names.  
Lenora gaped for a moment, ”Oh. R-Right.”  
“Well,” Della grinned and reached into the case, “Now, I understand why this is so difficult. I believe this should work just fine.”  
She handed Lenora a silver tie clip with five stones in the shape of a flower.  
“It’s lovely. Um...H-How much is it? Are you sure it’ll be good for Otto?”  
“It’s twelve dollars after tax. And yes. It’s actually a birthstone clip and, coincidentally, it works great for Otto. See the red stones? Those are rubies which are Toby’s birthstone, July. The yellow ones are citrine which is his sister’s birthstone, November. The pink one in the center is rose quartz which symbolizes love.”  
Lenora bit her lip and dug in her pocket for her money. She tried to count it discreetly but as she got closer to the end of the pile, her heart sank. Ten. Not only could she not afford the clip, but even if she could, she wouldn't have anything left to get what she needed for the boys. She looked back in the case.  
“How much is that one?” SHe pointed at a plain silver tie clip in the case.  
Della looked and her smile slipped for just a moment, “That one is five.”  
“I’ll get that one. I ca-um- the other one’s...not in the budget right now.”  
Della nodded and pulled the clip out of the case, “That’s fine...Would you like me to wrap it for you? Holiday bonus.”  
“Sure.”  
Della grinned and went over to the register. She took the price off the clip and wrapped it in tissue paper before tucking it into a little box and tying it with a red and green ribbon.  
“There you go! Have a good holiday. Oh! And tell Otto I said hi.”  
“I will. Thank you again.”  
No sooner had she stepped out the door than the boys began crying.   
“Right on que,” Lenora muttered and began looking for a public bathroom.  
She decided to use the restroom in the cafe and made her way over. She hated to use the handicap stall but that was where the changing station was. The stroller took up more than a little space in the stall and she could only get one baby out at a time. After she changed Toby, she gave him his bottle and changed Eli. Then she carefully fed and burped both boys.  
“You know, I think I’m getting the hang of this,” She said to the babies as she buckled them back into the stroller, “Then again, maybe you two are just really easy babies and I’m in for a rude surprise here soon.”  
She got no reply other than a quiet coo from Eli. She shook her head and went to her last stop, the discount store. Cheaper than a proper store but better quality than the dollar store. She searched quickly, hoping to find what she needed before the boys got fussy again. Keeping a close eye on the prices of her supplies, she grabbed a small jar of plastic jewels on a whim and added them to her basket.   
“What are my odds of getting you two to cooperate with me when we get home so I can finish this before Papa gets home?”  
*Poot!*  
“Yeah. Go figure.”

Lenora was just finishing up her project with the boys when the door opened.  
“I’m ho-”  
“Don’t come in the kitchen! We're not done!” She leaned against the door for a moment.  
“Done? Done vviz vvhat?”  
“You’ll see, Mr. Nosey.”  
“No. No. Just Otto. Mr. Nosey vvas my fazer.”  
“You’re a dork. You know that, right?” She held Eli’s foot still for a moment, “Eli, baby. You have to stay still so Mama can finish this and get your socks back on.”  
“Ok, but really. VVhat are you doing to our children?” Otto laughed from the other side of the door.  
“Christmas stuff. You’ll see in a few days.”  
“Alright…”  
Lenora quickly finished what she was doing and stashed the project in the pantry. Then, she gathered Toby and Eli in her arms and pushed open the door with her butt. Otto grinned and took his son.  
“Hallo, Bärchen,” He bounced the baby for a moment, “Did you have a good day out vviz Mama? Und helping her in ze kitchen?”  
Lenora chuckled and kissed Eli’s forehead, “Oh, keep out of the pantry. I’ll let you know when it’s done.”  
Otto nodded and played with Eli’s hand, “And did you have a good day, little vvone?”  
Eli cooed and kicked slightly. Toby burbbled and wiggled closer to his father.  
Otto smiled and lifted his son to his shoulder, “I still have to finish my Christmas shopping yet.”  
Lenora bit her lip and thought for a moment, “You could do that tomorrow. We could make a day of it. You do your Christmas shopping and I’ll stay with the boys. I know Della’s doing gift wrapping for the holidays. She says, ‘Hi’, by the way.”  
“Oh. You met Della? Did you get to meet Bruce?”  
“Who’s Bruce?”  
“Her boyfriend. He’s an old family friend too. Maybe I can introduce you tomorrow. Zey make quite ze pair.”  
“Oh no. Do I want to know?”  
They migrated to the sofa as they talked and snuggled the babies between them.  
“Maybe. It’ll be fun zough. Maybe vve can meet VValt und Barbara for lunch vvhile vvere out.”  
“Yeah. That sounds fun. Maybe Barbara can give me some ideas for what to do with the boys all day.”  
Otto snorted, “Actually, you’ll vvant to ask VValt about zat. He barely lets Jim out of his sight. He’s an absolute Mozer Hen. Alvvays has been.”

The next day, Lenora bundled the babies into their warm outdoors clothes and Otto packed the diaper bags. The plan was that Otto would do his shopping first, then they would go to Della’s and he would introduce Lenora to Bruce, and then more shopping before lunch at the Cafe with his brother and sister-in-law. They set off and got to work.  
The first hour went off with no problem. Then Toby needed a diaper change and it was all downhill from there. Otto took his son to change his diaper and Lenora fed Eli while they waited. Crisis averted. Otto went into a couple shops and Lenora wait with the babies outside. Eli needed a diaper change while Otto was in a store so Lenora took both the boys and tried to make it fast. Gave Otto a heart attack when he left the store and couldn’t find them. Found each other and made amends. All good. They stopped in the park to catch their breath.  
“And I thought this was hard when it was just me and the boys,” Lenora jokes.  
“Ja. Sorry. Just vvone more store und zen I’m done. Ve can go to Della’s und lunch zen go straight home.”  
“Agreed.”  
They strapped their sons back into the stroller and continued on their way. Otto went into the stationary store and Lenora wait with the boys since the stroller didn’t fit in the store.  
“Loraine?”  
Her heart stopped. It took every fiber of her being not to turn around.  
“Loraine! When did you get back?” Maranda ran around her and froze, “What’s going on? Who’s baby is that?”  
Lenora swallowed thickly, “Wh-Who are you?”  
Maranda pursed her lips, “Loraine, that’s not funny. I’m your twin sister. We look exactly alike.”  
It was less true than ever in that moment. Lenora had her thick, black curls pulled back in two pigtails behind her shoulders, was wearing her magenta glasses, and was wearing a maternity dress because she didn’t feel like finding pants that morning. Maranda, on the other hand, left her curls loose and trailing down her back, her glasses were smaller and thinner, and her running attire left little to be imagined.  
“I don’t know what you mean. My name is Lenora. I was just taking my boys and about for a bit.”  
Maranda lifted one eyebrow, “Ok. I get it. This is your revenge for not talking to you when you called from New Jersey, right? Listen, I had every right to be mad. You disappeared for over a year, Lori. If you had told me you had a baby I would have listened.’  
Lenora forced her voice still as she recited the carefully planned story Janis Initiative had helped her establish, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was in New Jersey, yes. But Eli was born here at Arcadia Oaks Hospital last month.”  
“Right. Then Why haven’t I seen you around?”  
“I...don’t think that’s much of your concern, Ms. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have somewhere to be.” Lenora made a bee line for the cafe.  
“Hold up,” Maranda called, “Isn’t that Herr Scarrbach’s brat?”  
Lenora stopped again and turned, “Toby, yes. And he’s certainly no ‘brat’.”  
Maranda straitened and looked down her nose at the babies then at Lenora, “Hmp. I wasn’t aware Herr Scarrbach had a wife. I mean, who would choose that…”  
Lenora had barely opened her mouth before her twin ran off once more. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Her blood ran cold.  
“Lenora? Vvhat’s wrong? VVhat happened?” Otto reached her side.  
Lenora’s tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.  
“Lenora? VVas somevvone here?”  
“I think I just messed everything up…” Her voice cracked.  
“Hey. It’s ok. VVe can fix it. But I need to know vvhat happened.”  
Lenora swallowed and took a deep breath. She looked down at Eli then back at Otto. “It was Maranda. She...She thinks we’re married.”


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

They were both silent all the way back to the house. Otto kept one hand on the small of her back as they walked but he never said a word. As soon as they walked through the door, he took Toby and went down to the basement. Lenora didn’t know what to do.

Her cover had been compromised. The story they had spent a month building had fallen apart in the mere seconds of conversation she had had with her sister. And all from one sentence, one phrase about Toby and Eli.

She went up to the room Otto was letting her stay in and held Eli against her shoulder as she paced back and forth. Her heart pounded. Should she pack up the few belongings her and her son had? Should she leave and see what the others had to say about her mistake? Her watch dinged, signaling that it was time for Eli’s medications.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way back down to the living room and over to the stroller. She had packed his medications for their day out so they would have them. She peaked around the corner to make sure Otto was still in the basement and sat on the sofa to take care of her son. Just as she was finishing up, the basement door opened.

“Lenora?”

She barely dared to look up. Otto was standing in the open doorway. He had rolled up his sleeves. Toby was in a baby sling over his chest and one hand was tucked behind his back. He looked just as uncertain as she felt. Avoiding her eyes, he sat beside her on the sofa.

“VVill zis do?” He held out a deep blue crystal.

Lenora stared at it, “Do? F-For what?”

“VVell...I figured, if vve are going to pretend to be married, you’ll be needing a ring. Zis is Dumortierite. It’s not much but…” He trailed off, glancing down at the floor.

“But...what about the story we came up with before Eli came home? Doesn’t this screw all that up?”

“Not all of it,” Otto assured her, finally meeting her eyes, “It’s a small matter of changing some of ze papervvork und adding some. Making a marriage certificate isn’t much different from making a birz cartificate. Ze only real problem is...Eli....”

“We would have to put your name on the birth certificate. Wouldn’t we.”

“VVe can find some vvay to vvork around it if you vvould prefer. But, yes. Zat vvould be ze easiest.”

Lenora looked down at the baby in her arms. It wouldn’t be all that difficult to pull off. All three of them had black hair and it wasn’t outside the realm of possibilities that two blue eyed people would have a brown eyed baby. Hell, having a father on Eli’s birth certificate would deter Roland even more if he ever did find them.

“But would you be ok with it?” She finally asked.

“...Ja. I vvould be. But, vvould you be ok vviz having your name added to Toby’s adoption papers?”

“Of course.”

They were silent again. A strange silence hung over them.

“I’m just- I’m a little confused. What are we going to do when Eli and I move out? What about if one of us meets someone else before then?”

“I’ll vvork out ze finer details vviz VValt und Nomura but vve should be able to have a fake devorece vvhen ze time comes. VVe can say vve split mutually und, if you are in agreement, zat vve split custody of ze boys.”

Lenora nodded. She slumped against the back of the sofa and sighed. She was still shaking. The sofa shifted as Otto leaned back as well.

“So. Now what do we do?”

“VVell, vve still have to vvork out all ze kinks in zis plan,” Otto stroked Toby’s hair and looked down at his watch, “VVe could still do lunch vviz VValt und Barbara. I already told zem vvhat happened. VVe could use ze time to calm down und solidify ze plan. Maybe even design ze ring.”

Lenora glanced down at the blue stone still clutched in Otto’s hand.

“Ok. But what about your ring?”

Barbara waved them over when they walked into the cafe. Her, Walter and Jim were sitting in a large booth in the corner of the dining room. Otto and Lenora had opted to leave the stroller behind this time and took the car. They made their way over and situated the boys between them. Walt grinned and leaned forward.

“So I hear congratulations are in order.”

Barbara elbowed her husband. He chuckled sheepishly but stopped when he saw the look on Lenora’s face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Walter leaned forward and put a hand on her arm, “It’s alright, Lenora. What exactly happened?”

“Maranda approached the boys and I while Otto was in one of the shops that the stroller wouldn’t fit in. I told her I was out with ‘my boys’ and...she recognized Toby as Otto’s son. She took that to mean I was Toby’s mother and, therefore, Otto’s wife. She left before I could explain anything.”

“Then it isn't your fault.”

“You can’t be held responsible for your sister’s misunderstanding.”

Walt steepled his fingers, “All we can do now is work with what we have. And what we have is a bit of paperwork to fix. If we play our cards right, everyone should be able to keep their last names.”

Barbara hunched over a napkin on the table, “Maybe fake some wedding pictures? Put them in the house to throw off prying eyes...How’s this for a ring?”

Her design was simple but elegant. The dumorterite would work for the center stone with two smaller stones on either side.

“I have some rose quartz in ze basement zat vvill vvork for ze smaller stones. Dumorterite means calm und rose quartz means love. Und, since blue und pink make purple, it’ll be able to represent your favorite color.”

Lenora ducked her head and blushed. She had never really put much thought into weddings and rings. Not even when she was with him. She nodded.

“Did you all just dodge the ‘names’ topic?” Walt leaned forward, “The sooner we get that worked out the better. Paperwork needs to get done fast before anyone decides to check.”

Barbara slid the napkin to Otto and picked up Jim, “Maranda’s rumors have already reached the hospital. I can only keep the others from looking for Eli’s files for so long.”

“VVhy don’t vve just hyphenate the boys’s names?” Otto suggested.

“No.”

Otto looked at Lenora.

“I had a friend in school whose parents hyphenated her name. She always hated it.”

“Ok. That’s a veto for hyphenation,” Barbara chuckled, “But you just changed your name. I’d hate for you to have to change it again.”

“I’m more worried about you, Otto. No one has really asked if you’re ok with this.”

Otto lifted an eyebrow and smiled, “You did. Back at ze house. Und, I said yes.”

Lenora licked her lips and looked down at Eli. He and Toby were sleeping peacefully in their carriers.

“Change our names. I can always change it back later.”

Walt squeezed her hand before pulling out his phone, “I’ll call Nomura and have her get the paperwork started.”

Otto reached over and laced their fingers together. Lenora took a deep breath and smiled.

“I think you two should share a bedroom.”

“Barbara!” Walt hissed and turned to his wife, laughter coming from the phone.

“Not like that,” She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Otto and Lenora, “You can ‘I Love Lucy’ it. Two beds and all that. But, if someone looks through the windows, they’ll notice that you have separate bedrooms. How did a couple with separate bedrooms conceive a child?”

Lenora blushed deeply. Otto squeezed her hand again.

“VVe don’t have to if you’re not comfortable vviz zat,” He assured her, “But ze master bedroom is big enough zat vve could put anozer bed in it und fit Eli’s cot betvveen zem. Or vve can put Eli in ze nursery wiz Toby. It’s up to you.”

Lenora nodded. The waitress finally arrived to take their orders.

“Sorry about the delay. Are you ready to order?”

They ordered dinner and she left. Eli chose that moment to wake up. He started crying. Before Lenora could calm him down, Toby woke up and started crying. At the sound of his cousins’s cries, Jim started crying. The four frantic parents were left to try and calm the wailing infants.

“Why did we think this was a good idea?” Barbara asked.

“Because vve all needed to get out of the house?” Otto shrugged.

Lenora chuckled and bounced Eli gently. None of the babies were wet and they all rejected the bottles. She was at a loss.

“Yes, yes. We hear you,” Walt cooed to his son, accepting the infant from his wife, “You have such strong lungs.”

Otto lay Toby against his shoulder and rubbed his back, singing quietly. Lenora tucked Eli closer and whispered to him. He cried and managed to grab a fistful of her dress. She reached into his carrier and grabbed his pacifier. Eli sucked on it quietly, slowly calming and nuzzling into his mother’s breast.

Once all three babies were finally quiet, they could hear the whispers around the room. Lenora glanced around. People were staring.

“Could that be her? The one Mandy was telling us about?”

“It has to be. I just can’t believe Herr Scaarbach has a wife, let alone a real son.”

“If we’re being honest, I thought he played for the other team.”

Lenora stiffened.

“Ignore zem. People alvvays talk ze most about vvhat zey know ze leat about,” Otto assured her, whispering, “Besides, zery’re wrong. It’s more like...nozing at all.” (1)

Lenora smiled and tickled Toby gently. But the whispers continued. Walt shook his head. He shot his brother a sharp look and kissed his wife. Otto rolled his eyes and shook his head. He reached over and tickled Eli. The baby cooed quietly and grabbed his finger. Lenora took a deep breath and rest her temple against Otto’s.

“You two are dorks,” Barbara chuckled, plenty loud enough for the people around them to hear, “I’m glad you and Eli are finally home.”

Even with the plans in order there was a lot to get done. There was paperwork to change, photos to fake, rooms to rearrange, babies to take care of and Christmas to prepare for. Lenora was working in the kitchen, Toby strapped to her back and Eli strapped to her chest, when Nomura burst through the back door.

“That better be the fake wedding stuff you’re making because we got stuff to do.”

She was carrying a black garbage bag over her shoulder and a red folder under her arm.

“Um, no. It’s the Christmas ca-”

“No buts! Otto smuggled these dresses out of the costume room at the school. We have to figure out how to make it look like you actually wore one of these in a wedding. Oh! Red frosting flowers and green trim. Is that the Christmas cake you promised to make!”

“Yes. That’s the plan. Nomura, how much coffee have you had?”

“A lot. I stayed up last night after work to try and salvage some of this crap.”

Lenora didn’t get a chance to say anything more before her fake- sister-in-law, pushed her out of the kitchen.

“The sooner we get this all worked out the less time there is for people to ask questions. Otto’s doing the paperwork, Walt’s going to doctor the photos, and Barbara will be around later to help us finish the dresses and decorate the backyard to make it passable in the photos. Remember, you two got married in Germany last year after meeting in New Jersey and traveling together.”

“I know the story. Nomura! Slow down! Let me put the boys down first.”

“Well, hurry up! Della’s coming to take the pictures tomorrow and we need to have this all figured out before then. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for sewing.”

“I know. Trust me. I was the theater director for three years. I know all about last minute adjustments. Hell, I probably sewed some of the dresses in that bag.”

“Oh, that’s right. Then you know just how fast we have to-”

“Nomura!” Lenora grabbed Nomura’s shoulders and turned her around, more serious than they had ever seen her, “I will let you do the pinning but there is no way I am letting you anywhere near a set of scissors or a sewing machine like this. Do the pinning and get some rest. It’s about time for Eli and Toby’s nap anyway. I’ll do the sewing while you all sleep.

Nomura stared at her, dumbfounded. She nodded and turned back to the bag. She opened the folder. Lenora nodded firmly and untucked her boys from the twin carrier to lay them down in the playpen beside the sofa.

“So I made a few designs last night all based off of what we have. Personally? I’m leaning more towards the open back halter top. It’s a simple cut that won’t take too much time to alter from one of these dresses but will still look nice. And we won’t have to worry about sewing in zippers or buttons or anything.”

Lenora nodded, hunching over the folder, “Alright. We could use the sequin bodice from this dress and maybe put some flowers on the bottom hem so it’s not so plain.”

“Sounds good. You pull the dresses out and I’ll call Barbara to tell her what we need from the craft store.”

Lenora dug around in the bag until she found the dresses she was looking for. Considering they were made for students on a highschool stage, they weren't the best quality. Stitches were pulled in places, sequins were missing, the zipper of one had been pulled out (and not with a seam ripper).

“Oof. I had forgotten how rough some of these had gotten.”

“Tell me about it. Those students are murder on the costume department. Otto said that, in the last school play, some kids’s costumes were held on with safety pins.”

“I’ll believe it. I had students bringing in things from home for the play at times.”

Lenora lay out the dresses they were going to work with and looked them over. The sequin dress was missing several buttons from the back. It was also from the dragon costume in Arcadia Oaks Highschool’s Shrek the Musical performance so there were purple beads accenting it in places. She shuffled through the other dresses, hoping to find one that would have a skirt they could use.

“Hey! Idea!” Nomura grabbed a pen and started drawing on the back of one of her previous designs, “We’ll use the sequin dress for the bodice, Right? We’ll cut it here in a nice little point into the skirt. Barbara can pick up white tulle at Della’s since she’s always got some in stock and we can make the skirt and veil with that. And if we use purple flowers then we won't have to do anything with the beads on the dress!”

“Sh! Sleeping babies. But, yes. That does sound like a good idea.”

LLB

“Ok.” Otto said as he walked through the door, “I managed to get ze papervvork done during lunch und I asked Bruce to help move zings around upstairs. All zat’s left it to do ze pictures und-Mein Gott!”

Lenora looked up, “I know, it’s ridiculous. But we’re working with what we have. It’ll look better once we actually finish sewing it.”

“Lenora! Stop moving!” Barbara said around a mouthful of pins, “I’m almost done.”

The med student was kneeling behind Lenora, pinning a pale silver train onto the back of the dress. Nomura was passed out on the sofa, Toby nestled in her arms. Jim and Eli were napping in the playpen.

Otto shook himself, “It-it’s wunderschon. You’re going to look amazing in ze photos.”

“And you’ll look like a potato next to her,” Nomura muttered.

“I zought you vvere asleep.”

“It comes and goes.”

Otto rolled his eyes. He took off his coat and put his briefcase to the side before approaching the playpen.

“How long have zey been sleeping?”

“We actually just got them back to sleep,” Lenora fiddled with the flower crown and vail, sewing the white and silver tulle into place, “Good thing too because I don’t think we’d finish this in time otherwize.”

“Did you dig your tux out yet, Otto?” Barbara stepped back, “ And the pictures of Ralf? Ok, Jay. Strip.”

“I didn’t have to dig anything out, Barbara,” Otto wandered into the kitchen, pointedly not looking at Lenora as she took off her pinned dress, “Anyone vvant some tea?”

“Yes please,” Lenora carefully slipped the dress off her shoulders and down, pulling her robe on in lue of her clothes. She would just be taking them off again to retry the dress, “Who’s Ralf?”

“Ralf is Toby’s first father. The one he actually shares DNA with,” Barbara took the dress over to the sewing machine before picking up Jim, “They were best friends for years before the accident that took him and Shirly. Since you two supposedly got married a year ago, Ralf would have still been alive and absolutely would have been Otto’s best man.”

Lenora felt her smile slip off. She looked at the kitchen door and down to Toby on the sofa with his aunt.

“I didn’t know they had been friends. It didn’t even register that Otto had adopted him relatively quickly.”

“Yeah,” Barbara rocked Jim and studied the bouquets of fake flowers, “It’s not really my story to tell but Otto was Toby’s godfather first. And it’s really because of Nana, Ralf’s mom, that the adoption went through as fast as it did, even with pulling a few ‘Janis Initiative’ strings.”

Lenora nodded and sat at the sewing machine, ready to get back to work. She heard one of the babies start to fuss behind her and found herself amazed that she recognized it as Toby.

“Oh! Ug! Diaper Duty!” Nomura groned, “Otto, you’re home now. You get to change the kid.”

“I’m coming. I’m coming.” He scurried into the room and took his son from his sister, “Oh, Bärchen. Wie macht entwas so Kleines so ein Chaos?”

Lenora chuckled and carefully fed the pinned dress into the sewing machine. She pulled the pins out as she met them.

“I’m going to take Eli und get him changed, too,” Otto said, “I really don’t know how he sleeps zrew a dirty diaper.”

Lenora froze, only barely keeping herself from misturning the dress. Otto put one hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll bring him right back. Or I can bring ze diaper stuff in here if you would prefer.”

“Yes, please.”

Otto nodded and squeezed her shoulder before making his way back up the stairs to the nursery. Lenora took a deep breath and went back to work.

“Clingy much?” Nomura teased, “Ow! Hey!”

“It’s ok, Barbara,” she didn’t look up, “I am a little overprotective. But I can’t help it. For the first few weeks of his life he was hooked up to so many wires and, even now, he has so many medications. I’m just still scared I’m going to lose him.”

One of them put a hand on her shoulder. They didn’t say anything but Lenora knew she was there. It was only a few moments more before Otto returned and changed the boys’s diapers.

“Thank you for helping us with all this, Bruce,” Walt led the other man in, “We have to be as discreet as possible and as fast as possible. The faster this gets done the fewer questions will be asked.”

“Hey, I get it. I remember how fast you guys worked to get dad off my back when I left. It’s the least I can do to pay you back.”

“Und vve told you, Bruce. Ze best vvay you can pay us back is by being good to Della.”

“Like I could do any less for my queen,” he laughed.

Lenora finished her seam and turned to thank the man herself. She stopped short. This Scandinavian giant was not what she expected from Della’s boyfriend. The man was six foot five, at least. A stark contrast to Della’s five foot two. His thick black hair stood out against his pale skin and his dark brown eyes sparked as he talked with Walter and Otto. He was dressed in a black leather jacket and faded blue jeans that would have looked completely out of place next to Della’s violet sundress.

“You must be Lenora? It’s nice to finally meet you. Della’s told me about you,” He held out his hand.

Lenora shook herself mentaly and took his hand, “It’s nice to meet you, too. Otto’s told me a lot about you.”

Bruce laughed, “Yeah, I’ll believe it. Let me guess: Della and I make ‘quite ze pair’.”

Lenora covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. Otto rolled his eyes and handed her Eli.

“I vvouln’t say it if it vvasn’t true. You’re over a foot taller zan her und just jumped off your motorcycle. She looks like a shopkeeper from an Italian romcom.”

“Say what you will,” Bruce held his head up, “I love my tiny girlfriend.”

Lenora laughed and turned back to her sewing, “I’ll come out and help you as soon as I finish sewing this. I can work on this over night. We have to get everything outside done before it gets dark.”

“Alright,” Otto put a hand on her shoulder, “I’m going to take Toby vviz me for now.”

“Ok.”

The three men went outside and got to work. Lenora hastily finished sewing the dress together and threw her clothes back on.

“We can just finish this up when we get finished with everything outside,” Barbara tucked Jim into a backpack style carrier as she spoke.

Nomura nodded, finished the flowers she was sewing onto the veil, and followed her sister-in-law out the door. Outside, Bruce and Walter were wrapping tulle around the archway while Otto riffled through a collection of background panels. Nomura set out a string of tea lights leading up to the archway. Lenora and Barbara set about draping tablecloths over the cheap folding tables and round card tables. Anyone who looked over the fence would think a real wedding was going to be taking place there. But, then again, that was the point.

“Hey, Jay? Do you need another tablecloth?”

“No. This is my last table.”

“Ok. I gotta know,” Bruce looked down at them, “Your name is Lenora. How the hell did you end up with a nickname like ‘Jay’?”

“Ah. That was my doing,” Barbara laughed, “It’s because she’s as flighty as a Blue Jay. You should have seen her when we started working on the dress. She was running back and forth, around the room, trying to work on all of this and take care of the babies at the same time.”

“Barbara wanted to put feathers on the train of the dress but I had to remind her that it wasn’t in the budget,” Lenora cupped Eli’s head as she stood up straight, “We’re doing the silver train instead.”

“It still looks like vvings,” Otto assured them, “But like fairy vvings razer zan angel vvings. I zink it suits you better.”

“I actually meant for it to look like a greek shawl. Kinda a subtle reference to her being from Greece,” Nomura insisted, “But I guess fairy wings work, too.”

Lenora ducked her head and went back in for the flowers. Otto was right behind her. He toyed with the purple, blue, and white flowers for a moment. They arranged the flowers on the various tables.

“Bruce, are you going to help move zings around upstairs, too?”

“I can. Della wants me home before dark though. She wants me to help her get her camera ready for tomorrow. If you know what I mean.”

Otto rubbed his eyes, “I vvish I didn’t.”

“Bruce, please. Not in front of the babies.”

“Sorry, Barb. It’s just so much fun to watch them squirm.”

Once they finished putting out the decorations and covering it all to keep it from prying eyes, they went back inside.

“Is everything ready to be moved, Lenora?” Walter looked at her, “If it is then we can get it all moved while you finish the dress.”

“It should be. Eli’s things are in his cot and mine is on the bed.”

Walter nodded and waved for Otto to lead the way. They made their way up to the guest bedroom and stopped in the doorway.

“Did she already move some stuff into the other bedroom?” Bruce asked.

Otto shook his head sadly and took one of the dresser drawers from the bed, “I’m afraid not. All she had vvhen vve met vvas vone suitcase. She didn’t have any money after Eli vvas born und she lost ze money she spent on her plane ticket. I helped her buy everyzing she needed for Eli but she refused to let me buy anyzing for herself.”

The other two exchanged a look and picked up the other two drawers. They pushed Otto’s bed against the far wall of his room to make room for Lenora’s bed and dresser. Otto’s clothes were in the closet. Then they put the dresser drawers on Otto’s bed and went back for Lenora’s bed. Of course, they had to disassemble the bed frame to move it and maneuver the mattress and boxspring down the hall to the other room. Once it was all moved over they opted to move Eli’s cot into the nursery.

“Thirsty?” Barbara stood at the top of the stairs, tray of lemonade in her hands.

Walter leaned over the railing and took a glass, “You are an angel.”

“Lenora and Nomura are finishing up the dress so I figured you three could use something to drink.”

“Und vve are eturnaly grateful,” Otto took one of the glasses.

“I bet. How much more do you have to finish?”

Bruce sat on the top step to drink his lemon aid, “Just got to put the bed back together and put everything away.”

“Good thing, too. The boys need to go to bed here soon.”

“Zen vve’ll finish ze nursery first,” Otto promised and drained his glass.

Barbara nodded and made his way back down to the living room. While Otto put Eli’s things away, Walter and Bruce put the bed back together.

“And here is where I have to part ways,” Bruce declared, “It’s my turn to make dinner and I don’t want to keep Della waiting.”

“Zank you again, Bruce. Zere’s no vvay vve could have finished it all vvizout your help.”

“Eh. What are friends for? See you nerds tomorrow.”

“Do you think you can handle the rest, Otto?” Walter stretched, “It’s just making the bed that’s left. Barbara already took Jim home so Nomura’s the only one left.”

“I zink I can handle it. Danke.

“Bitte, Bruderlein. See you bright and early tomorrow.”

Otto chuckled and rubbed his eyes, “VVhat do zink our odds of getting ze boys to sleep zrew ze night are?”

“Not great.”

Otto chuckled and followed his brother down the stairs.

“Nomura, I don’t think there’s anything more we can do to it! This is as good as it’s going to get.”

He stopped dead in his tracks. Lenora was in her dress and Nomura was still pulling at the hem and train.

“I know, I know. Ugh. Ok,” Nomura stood up and rubbed her eyes, “We’ll do your hair tomorrow. Barbara should be completely ready to go when she gets here so we shouldn’t have to worry about her. I’ll just have to put on my dress and-”

“Yes. I know the plan. Go home. Sleep!”

Nomura sighed and nodded, “Fine. Fine...What are you staring at?”

Otto shook his head, “Er, you look lovely.”

Lenora ducked her head and blushed, “I’ll change and help you get everything upstairs finished in just a moment.”

Otto just nodded. Walter rolled his eyes and waved Nomura out the door with him. They fed the boys, changed their diapers, and tucked them into their cots. Then, they lay out his tux and her dress in the living room and collapsed in their bedroom.

“Can vve be done vviz today?”

“Almost. We need to eat or something. Shit! I forgot to finish the cake!”

“Rise and Shine!” Nomura burst through the bedroom door, “Today’s the day and we got a lot to do!”

Lenora groaned and sat up, “What time is it?”

“Time to get a watch. Lets go.”

Lenora found herself dragged out of bed as Otto was pulled down the stairs by Walter.

“Nomura, slow down. We have to take care of Eli and Toby first.”

“No you don’t. Barbara’s covering baby duity while Walt and I get you and Otto ready for the pictures.”

“I don’t need help to put on my dress. It’s not like it has a corset or anything like that.”

“Oh yeah. That’s not what I’m here for. I'm doing your makeup and hair.”

She didn’t get a chance to reply before Nomura forced her into a chair she had placed in the center of the bedroom. Nomura stared down at her, tapping her chin. Then, she opened her makeup organizer and ran a finger over her pallets. She held up an eyeliner tube. Lenora suddenly felt very afraid.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s just eyeliner. Now take off your glasses.”

Downstairs, Walter was helping his little brother with his tux. His hands shook as he tried to tie his bow tie.

“VVhy am I so nervous?”

Walter chuckled and tied the bow tie for him, “I think it’s adorable. Besides, do you remember how nervous I was when I married Barbara?”

“You do remember zat Lenora und I are not really getting married, right?”

“Of course I do,” Walter teased, “But that won’t stop you from being nervous. And it’s not completely unfounded. We don’t really know what Della has in mind for all of us today.”

Otto nodded and buttoned his cufflinks. Footsteps on the staircase made Walter look up. His jaw dropped.

“Was?” Otto turned and his heart dropped into his shoes.

Barbara, Nomura, and Lenora were making their way down, each holding one of the babies. Barbara and Nomura were both dressed in dark blue dresses. Half of Lenora’s hair was pulled up into a rose braid, her flower crown veil draped down her back.

“Like what you see?” Barbara handed Jim to his father and kissed his cheek.

“I believe I do.”

“You two sicken me,” Nomura groused.

Lenora ducked her head, “How does it look?”

“Y-You look amazing.”

She blushed and tucked Eli closer to her chest. A horn honked outside and Bruce ducked through the door, camera bag in hand.

“We’re here. Where do I put this stuff?”

Just put it in the backyard. We just have to take the sheets down and it’s all ready.”

“Are we all ready?” Della asked as she entered, “Oh! Remind me to have you all plan my wedding! This is amazing.”

Bruce blushed and made a beeline for the back door.

Della chuckled and looked at the ‘bride’, “Lenora, good to see you again. You look lovely.”

“Thanks.”

The rest of the party made their way to the backyard and finished getting it ready.

“Ok,” Della got out her camera, “Walter, you said you’ll doctor the group photos so the people who need to be there are there?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I’m thinking of a morning wedding. So, we’ll do the actual wedding shots now. Lenora and the girls walking down the aisle, exchanging the rings, the first kiss, all that good stuff. In the afternoon we’ll do the post wedding stuff. Couples’ photos, the bridal party, Otto and Lenora being dorks, the cute stuff. And in the evening, we’ll do the reception. People dancing, half the tuxes missing, passing out in chairs, all that jazz. Any complaints?”

They all stared at her.

“You have put vvay too much zought into zis…”

“Perfect.”

True to her word, Della started with Barbara and Walter walking down the aisle, then Nomura with her arm extended for Ralph to be photoshopped into. Then Lenora proceeded down the aisle, alone. Otto and Lenora stood under the tool lined archway, hand in hand, looking at an invisible preacher. Then the babies started crying. They took care of them while they waited for the time to pass for later pictures. Then Otto and Lenora were thrown back up on the ‘altar’ for the kiss.

“Less stiff, you two,” Della ordered, “This is supposed to be your first kiss as husband and wife, not your first kiss at a middle school dance.”

Lenora ducked her head and blushed, “I’m sorry.”

Otto looked up, cheeks just as red. Walter pulled him back and whispered in his ear. Barbara pulled Lenora over and whispered to her. Then they were thrown on the altar again.

“Alright, Bruce, the line.”

“Just kiss!”

Otto wrapped one hand around Lenora’s neck and the other around her waist. He pulled her close as he kissed her. She wound her arms around his neck, bending back as he pulled her in.

“That works!” Della shouted, “Um. You two can stop now…”

They straightened up, faces just as red as before. The others snickered behind their hands. They took a break to check out the pictures and take care of the babies.

“Would anyone be opposed to doing some in the forest?” Della had a hopeful gleam in her eye.

Walter looked at the rest of the ‘wedding party’, “Otto’s house in Germany was on the edge of a forest so it would make sense.”

“But with the babies…” Lenora looked down at Eli.

Her baby was nursing on his bottle, one hand fisted around the violet necklace Barbara had lent her.

“I zink vve can handle it,” Otto burped Toby, “VVe vvon’t go far und zere is enough of us zat zere vvill alvvays be someone to hold zem.”

Lenora bit her lip and nodded slowly.

“Don’t worry, Lenora. We’re going to do a few more at the house and I only have a couple that I want to do in the forest.”

The babies were laid back in the playpen and they got back to work. The entire group, with a space for Ralph, stood by the altar. Lenora’s train was elegantly draped down the aisle. Then they did one with just Otto and Lenora; just Lenora and the girls; just Otto and Walter; and one playful one with the babies. With the ‘church’ pictures out of the way, Della led the way into the trees behind the house. She held her camera against her chest and tapped her chin as she looked around.

“There will do,” She pointed at one of the trees, “Otto, Lenora, stand against the tree.”

They handed their babies to Nomura and Barbara and stood where she pointed. She gave them both a tired look.

“Otto, push Lenora against the tree.”

They hesitated then turned around. Lenora leaned back against the tree and Otto put his hands on either side of her shoulders. They wait for Della to tell them what to do next.

“Hm...I don’t like it...Switch places.”

They wordlessly switched positions so that Otto’s back was against the tree and Lenora was in front of him. He hummed and looked over his shoulder.

“I have an idea. Just don’t ask me to talk after I do it, OK?”

Lenora nodded and leaned back. Otto took a deep breath and hooked his heels onto low hanging branches. He pushed himself up, leaning back against the tree, until his face was level with Lenora’s. Della stared for a moment then lifted her camera.

“Otto, hold her neck. Lenora, put your hands under his arms and kiss him.”

Lenora stepped forward, standing between his news, and braced herself on the tree under his arms. Otto wound his arms around her neck and kissed her gently. Della went around and took several pictures at different angles.

“Alright, let him down. He’s starting to shake,” Walter called.

Lenora stepped back and watched as Otto slid back down the tree and unhooked his heels. He immediately doubled over with his hands on his knees.

“It’s been a vvhile since I’ve done somezing like zat,” He gasped.

“How did you even do it?”

“Core muscles,” Walter chuckled and handed her Eli, “You know his rock collection? He used to go rock climbing to find new ones in the mountains outside his home town.”

“I’m a little out of practice,” He groaned, “Oh. Zat hurt more zan I expected. Oof.”

“Don’t worry. You can lie down for the next couple,” Della giggled, “Then we’ll go back to the house.”

It was well past dark by the time they finished all the pictures and disassembled the wedding scene. Otto and Lenora didn’t bother to change before they flopped down on the sopha.

“If this is a fake wedding then I don’t ever want a real wedding,” Lenora began wiping off her makeup.

“Walter und Barbara’s vvedding vvas more...fun...Ze ceremony vvas a lot of standing obviously, und zere vvere pictures after zat. But after all zat it vvas a lot more dancing und party zen posing und taking care of zree babies.”

Otto took off his bowtie and sighed.

“Can we sleep here?”

“You vvon’t hear me complain.”

They were quiet for a moment longer, starting to doze off.

“Ze pictures should be done ze day after Christmas.”

“Mhm…” She curled into the corner of the sopha, legs tucked under her dress.

Otto sighed and leaned back against the arm, one leg dangling off. Their shoes lay forgotten on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Asexual Otto Headcannon. Based on my actual response when my dad asked.


End file.
